ORIGINAL  NARRATIVES 
OF  EARLY  AMERICAN   HISTORY 

REPRODUCED  UNDER  THE  AUSPICES  OF  THE 
AMERICAN  HISTORICAL  ASSOCIATION 

GENERAL  EDITOR,  J.  FRANKLIN  JAMESON,  PH.D.,  LL.D. 

DIRECTOR  OF  THE   DEPARTMENT  OF   HISTORICAL  RESEARCH   IN  THE 
CARNEGIE   INSTITUTION   OF   WASHINGTON 


NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

1648 — 1706 


ORIGINAL   NARRATIVES 
OF  EARLY  AMERICAN  HISTORY 


NARRATIVES  OF  THE 
WITCHCRAFT   CASES 


1648— 17O6 


EDITED  BY 

GEORGE   LINCOLN    BURR,    LL.D.,    Lrrr.D. 

PROFESSOR    OF    MEDIEVAL    HISTORY    IN    CORNELL    UNIVERSITY 


WITH  THREE  FACSIMILES 


CHARLES    SCRIBNER'S    SONS 
NEW   YORK 


'  ^  C1  r 

;  b 


COPYRIGHT,  1914,  BY 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


Printed  in  the  United  Sutes  of  Aroeric* 


BF 


CONTENTS 

NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 
EDITED  BY  GEORGE  L.  BURR 

PAQB 

FROM  "AN  ESSAY  FOR  THE  RECORDING  OF  ILLUSTRIOUS  PROVIDENCES" 
(BETTER   KNOWN   AS    "REMARKABLE    PROVIDENCES"),  BY   INCREASE 

MATHER,  1684         ...........  1 

INTRODUCTION      ...........  3 

The  Preface          ...........  8 

\              Chapter  V:  Preternatural  Happenings  in  New  England        ...  17 

Case  of  Ann  Cole,  of  Hartford,  1662    .......  18 

Case  of  Elizabeth  Knap,  of  Groton,  1671     .        .....  21 

\  §  Case  of  the  Morses,  at  Newbury,  1679-1681         .... 

The  Tedworth  Case,  in  England,  1661-1663         .... 

Case  of  Nicholas  Desborough,  of  Hartford,  1683  .....  33 

Case  of  George  Walton,  at  Portsmouth,  1682       .....  34 

Case  of  the  Hortados,  at  Salmon  Falls,  1682-1683       ....  37 


NEW  YORK  CASES  OF  HALL  AND  HARRISON,  1665,  1670         .       .  39 

INTRODUCTION      ...........  41 

>^Case  of  Ralph  and  Mary  Hall,  of  Setauket,  1665         ....  44 

>  Case  of  Katharine  Harrison,  1670        .......  48 

"LlTHOBOLIA,  OR  THE  STONE-THROWING  DEVIL,"  BY  RlCHARD  CHAMBER- 

LAIN, 1698        ............  53 

INTRODUCTION      ...........  55 

Dedicatory  Letter  and  Verses      ........  58 

Why  the  Author  relates  this  Stone  throwing  and  why  he  believes  it 

Witchcraft         ......    ~        ~.        :        '.        .  60 

The  Quaker  George  Walton  and  his  Neighbors  at  Great  Island  (Ports- 

mouth)     ............  61 

The  Beginning  of  the  Stone  throwing  (June,  1682)      .        .  .62 

The  Author  himself  a  Victim        ........  64 

His  Serenade  and  its  Sequel;  the  Black  Cat          .        .        .        .        .66 

The  Deviltries  at  Great  Bay         ........  67 

Notable  Witnesses        .......        ...  69 

The  Author  again  an  Object  of  Attack         ......  70 

Injuries  to  Others,  in  House  and  Field          ......  72 

The  Lull  in  August;  the  Final  Stone  throwing  in  September        .        .  76 
The  Author's  Conclusions     ....      •  .  -     .        .        .        .76 

v 


vi  CONTENTS 

PAOB 

THE  PENNSYLVANIA  CASES  or  MATTSON,  HENDRICKSON,  AND  GUARD,  1684, 

1701 79 

INTRODUCTION 81 

Case  of  Margaret  Mattson  and  Gertrude  Hendrickson,  1684        .        .  85 

Case  of  Robert  Guard  and  his  Wife,  1701 88 

M  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES,  RELATING  TO  WITCHCRAFTS  AND  POSSES- 

^     SIGNS,"  BY  COTTON  MATHER,  1689 89 

INTRODUCTION 91 

Dedicatory  Epistle  to  the  Hon.  Wait  Winthrop 93 

The  Boston  Ministers  "to  the  Reader" 95 

The  Introduction 97 

Case  of  the  Goodwin  Children,  at  Boston,  1688-1689  ....  99 

3*8Tie  Goodwin  Family 99 

The  Trouble  with  the  Laundress  and  her  Mother         .                .        .  100 

The  Strange  Malady  of  the  Children 101 

The  Appeal  to  the  Ministers  and  to  the  Magistrates;  Arrest  and  Trial 

of  Goody  Glover 103 

Her  Condemnation  and  Execution 105 

The  Continued  Fits  of  the  Children 107 

Efforts  of  the  Ministers  to  help  them 109 

The  Author  takes  the  Eldest  Girl  to  his  Home;  her  Behavior      .        .110 

His  Experiments  with  her 112 

Her  Imaginary  Journeys       . 114 

Strange  Power  over  her  of  the  Author's  Study 115 

The  Ministers'  Day  of  Prayer  and  its  Effect 118 

The  Author  tests  the  Linguistic  Powers  of  the  Demons       .        .        .119 
And  the  Power  of  Scripture  and  Prayer  to  quell  them          .        .        .120 

Their  Gradual  Departure 121 

What  the  Author  has  learned  from  it  all 122 

Postscript:  the  Devils  return,  but  are  again  dispelled  by  Prayer          .  124 

Goodwin's  Account  of  his  Children's  Bewitchment       ....  126 

Case  of  Deacon  Philip  Smith,  of  Hadley,  1684 131 

Case  of  Mary  Johnson,  of  Hartford,  1648 135 

Case  of  the  Boy  at  Tocutt  (Branford) 136 

Other  Bewitchments 141 

"A  BRIEF  AND  TRUE  NARRATIVE  OF  WITCHCRAFT  AT  SALEM  VILLAGE,"  BY  -  -~-y 

DEODAT  LAWSON^  1692 '  145 

INTRODUCTION 147 

-     " The  Bookseller  to  the  Reader" 152 

The  Author's  Visit  to  Salem  Village 152 

The  Antics  of  "the  Afflicted" 153 

Examination  of  GoodwifeJCorey  .        .        .        .     -  .        .        .154 

Goodwife  Putnam's  Afflictions 157 

Examination  of  Goodwife  Nurse 158 

Tales  told  by  Elizabeth  Parris,  Dorcas  Good,  Abigail  Williams,  Mercy 

Lewis  160 


CONTENTS  vii 

!  VAOB 

Goodwife  Cloyse  slams  the  Meeting-house  Door 161 

Extraordinary  Things  about  the  Afflicted 161 

About  the  Accused 162 

LETTER  OF  THOMAS  BRATTLE,  F.R.S.,  1692 165 

INTRODUCTION 167 

His  Reasons  for  writing  frankly 169 

The  Procedure  at  Salem;  the  "Afflicted"  and  their  Evidence     .        .  170 

The  "Confessors" 173 

Indictment  and  Trial 174 

"Spectre  Evidence" (<33& 

The  Executions 177 

Things  to  wonder  at     .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .  177 

The  Troubles  at  Andover 180 

Zeal  of  the  Judges 182 

The  Doubters  and  their  Reasons 184 

Extent  of  the  Convictions;  Hope  from  the  impending  General  Court  .  185 

/  Efforts  of  certain  Ministers  to  check  the  Matter 186 

Further  Reasons  for  Hesitation 187 

'  Why  the  Confessions  cannot  be  trusted 189 

S 

LETTERS  OF  GOVERNOR  PHIPS  TO  THE  HOME  GOVERNMENT,  1692,  1693    .  191 

INTRODUCTION 193 

^Letter  of  October  12,  1692:  the  Witch  Panic  as  he  found  it,  and  what 

he  did  about  it .        .        .        .    •    .                196 

Letter  of  February  21,  1693:  Recapitulation  of  his  Earlier  Report;  how 

the  Panic  was  brought  to  an  End 198 

FROM  "THE  WONDERS  OF  THE  INVISIBLE  WORLD,"  BY  COTTON  MATHER,  , 

1693 203 

INTRODUCTION •  .       .       .       .  205 

The  Author's  Defence 210 

His  Relation  to  the  Salem  Trials  v 213 

-^*The  Trial  of  George  Burroughs  ^"'" 215 

The  Trial  of  Bridget  Bishop  v  •"" 223 

— The  Trial  of  Susanna  Martin  v^ 229 

-The  Trial  of  Elizabeth  How  t  -  .        .        .        .       ..        .        .        .237 

The  Trial  of  Martha  Carrier  ^ 241 

"Curiosities":  I.  The  Devil's  Imitation  of  Divine  Things  .        .        .  245 

II.  The  Witches'  making  themselves  and  their  Tools  invisible     .        .  246 

III.  The  Bewitched  delivered  by  the  Execution  of  the  Witches  .        .  248 

IV.  Apparitions  reveal  Old  Murders  by  the  Witches    ....  249 
Certificate  of  the  Judges  to  the  Truth  of  this  Account         .        .        .  250 

"A  BRAND  PLUCK'D  our  OF  THE  BURNING,"  BY  COTTON  MATHER,  1693    .  253 

INTRODUCTION 255 

The  Story  of  Mercy  Short .259 

Her  Bewitchment 260 

How  the  Devil  and  his  Spectres  appeared  to  her 261 


viii  CONTENTS 


How  they  tormented  her 263 

Her  Discourses  to  them 267 

How  her  Tortures  were  turned  into  Frolics 271 

The  Shapes  worn  by  the  Spectres 274 

Her  Remarkable  Answers  and  Strange  Knowledge  of  Scripture    .        .  275 

The  Methods  used  for  her  Deliverance 276 

Her  Deliverance  on  New  Year's  Eve 277 

The  Renewal  of  her  Troubles  after  Seven  Weeks          ....  278 

The  Strange  Books  brought  by  the  Spectres  for  her  signing          .        .  280 

The  Books  used  at  their  Witch-meetings 282 

The  Helpful  Spirit,  and  how  he  aided  her  against  the  Others      .        .  283 

The  Prayer-meetings  and  her  Final  Deliverance 285 

FROM  "MORE  WONDERS  OF  THE  INVISIBLE  WORLD,"  BY  ROBERT  CALEF  289 

INTRODUCTION !        '.       .  291 

The  Epistle  to  the  Reader:  the  Author's  Reasons  for  his  Book     .        .  296 

His  Materials 306 

Cotton  Mather's  Letter  of  Enclosure 307 

His  ANOTHER  BRAND  PLUCKT  our  OF  THE  BURNING  (the  Story  of  Mar- 
garet Rule)       308 

Introductory  Anecdote  of  the  Devil's  Appearance  to  an  Indian   .         .  308 
Who  Margaret  Rule  was;  the  Beginning  of  her  Bewitchment       .         .310 

How  she  was  tortured  by  Spectres 311 

And  by  the  Devil 312 

Her  Remarkable  Fastings;  how  she  was  further  tormented        '.        .  313 

Her  Strange  Revelations  as  to  the  Spectres 314 

The  White  Spirit  and  his  Comfortings 316 

Her  Pastor's  Efforts  for  her 317 

Her  Tormentors'  Attempt  with  Poppets 318 

The  Author's  Reply  to  his  Revilers 320 

The  Good  that  has  come  of  the  Affair 322 

Part  II :  Calef 's  Correspondence  with  Mather 324 

His  Letter  of  Jan.  11,  1694,  enclosing  his  Journal  of  his  Visit  to  Mar- 
garet Rule  on  Sept.  13 324 

And  on  Sept.  19 327 

And  rehearsing  his  earlier  Letters  of  Sept.  29  and  Nov.  24  .        .        .  329 

Mather's  Reply  (Jan.  15) 333 

Enclosed  Certificates  of  Witnesses  to  Margaret  Rule's  Levitation         .  337 

Calef's  Rejoinder  (Jan.  18) 338 

V/Part  V:  The  Salem  Witchcraft     .     • 341 

]  The  Rev.  Mr.  Parris  and  the  Divisions  at  Salem  Village      .        .        .341 
The  Strange  Behavior  of  Divers  Young  Persons  and  its  Ascription  to 

Witchcraft 342 

Mr.  Lawson's  Visit  and  his  Account;  the  Examinations  of  the  Accused  343 

Mr.  Lawson's  Sermon;  the  Solemn  Fast  at  Salem        ....  345 
The  "White  Man";  Goodwife  Cloyse  and  the  Slammed  Door;  the 

Public  Examination  of  April  11 346 

The  Lord's  Prayer  as  an  Ordeal;  Specimen  of  a  Mittimu*    ,        .        ,  347 


CONTENTS  ix 

PAOB 

Arrival  of  Governor  Phips;  the  Political  Events  leading  to  it      .        .  348 

Mrs.  Gary's  Commitment  and  Escape          .        .        .        .        .        .  349 

Captain  John  Alden's  Narrative 353 

Opening  of  the  Special  Court  at  Salem  (June  2) 355 

Bridget  Bishop's  Fate;  Advice  of  the  Boston  Ministers        .        .        .  356 

*-The  Trials  of  June  30;  Fate  of  Sarah  Good;  of  Rebecca  Nurse   .        .  357 
The  August  Trials  and  Executions;  George  Burroughs,  John  Willard, 

the  Procters 360 

Procter's  Letter  to  the  Ministers 362 

Old  Jacobs  and  his  Grand-daughter;  her  Confession  and  Retraction  .  364 

The  September  Trials 366 

The  Coreys;  Wardwell;  Mary  Esty  and  her  Letter      ....  367 

Mrs.  Hale  accused;  Mr.  Male's  Change  of  View  ....  369 

Seizure  of  the  Property  of  Fugitives 370 

Flight  of  George  Jacobs  and  Fate  of  his  Family 371 

•'  The  Andover  Witchcraft 371 

The  Gloucester  Witchcraft 373 

End  of  the  Special  Court;  Summary  of  its  Work          ....  373 
How  the  Accused  were  brought  to  confess;   Protestation  of  the  An- 
dover Women 374 

Criticism  of  Cotton  Mather's  Account  of  the  Trials    ....  378  ^ 

<s  The  Laws  in  Force  against  Witchcraft 381 

xThe  new  Superior  Court  and  how  it  dealt  with  the  Witch  Cases 

(Jan.-April,  1693) 382 

Governor  Phips's  General  Pardon 384 

s  The  Benham  Case  in  Connecticut  (1697);   the  Massachusetts  Proc- 
lamation of  a  General  Fast  (Dec.,  1696) 385 

.<-'  Judge  Sewall's  Public  Penitence 386 

The  Penitence  of  the  Jurors          .        .        .        .  .        .        .  387 

„    Criticism  of  Cotton  Mather's  Life  of  Phips  (1697)        ....  388 

And  of  its  Author's  Teaching  as  to  Witchcraft     .        .        .        .        .  389 

Calef's  own  Convictions  as  to  the  Matter i  391  / 

FROM  "A  MODEST  INQUIRY  INTO  THE  NATURE  OF  WITCHCRAFT,"  BY  JOHN 

HALE,  1702 395 

INTRODUCTION 397 

AN  EPISTLE  TO  THE  READER,  by  John  Higginson       ....  399 

Mr.  Kale's  "Preface  to  the  Christian  Reader" 402 

The  Origin  and  Nature  of  Devils ^ —  ......  406 

Summary  of  New  England  Witch  Cases,  1648-1692     .        .        .        .  408  ~ 

Margaret  Jones;  Mrs.  Lake 408 

Mrs.  Kendal 409 

Mrs.  Hibbins;  Mary  Johnson 410 

The  Principles  acted  on  in  these  Convictions 411 

Mrs.  Morse;  Goody  Glover 412 

Salem  Witchcraft;  its  Beginnings          .        .        .  .  413 

Tituba's  Confession 415 

Conscientiousness  of  the  Judges;  the  Authorities  used  by  them  .        ,  415 


x  CONTENTS 

PA  OB 

Influence  of  the  Confessions;   their  Agreement  with  the  Accusations 

and  with  each  other;  their  Circumstantiality 416 

Specimen  Confessions:  Deliverance  Hobbs's 417 

Ann  Foster's;  Mary  Lacy's 418 

William  Barker's 419 

Their  Testimony  against  themselves  and  against  each  other         .        .  420 

How  Doubt  at  last  was  stirred 421 

Wherein  lay  the  Error 422 

Like  Mistakes  in  Other  Places 424 

The  Application  of  the  Whole V  423 

THE  VIRGINIA  CASE  OF  GRACE  SHERWOOD,  1706 433 

INTRODUCTION 435 

Her  First  Trial;  the  Jury  of  Women 438 

The  Appeal  to  the  Governor  and  Council;    the  County  Court  in- 
structed to  make  Further  Inquiry 439 

Her  Second  Trial;  the  Ducking 441 

The  Verdict;  her  Detention  for  Trial  by  the  General  Court         .        .  442 

INDEX  .  ,443 


FACSIMILE   REPRODUCTIONS 

PAGE 

A  BRAND  PLUCK'D  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING.    First  page  of  the  original  manu- 
script, in  the  possession  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society    .        .     259 

AUTOGRAPHS  OF  ROBERT  CALEF  AND  OF  HIS  SON  ROBERT.    From  various 

originals 292 

PETITION  OF  MARY  ESTY.    From  the  original  at  the  Essex  County  Court 

House,  Salem 368 


NOTE 

THE  first  of  the  illustrations  is  a  facsimile  of  the  first  page  of 
the  original  manuscript  of  Cotton  Mather's  narrative  of  the  case 
of  Mercy  Short,  A  Brand  pluck'd  out  of  the  Burning.  For  the 
privilege  of  printing  both  the  facsimile  and  the  text  we  are  in- 
debted to  the  American  Antiquarian  Society,  in  whose  library  at 
Worcester  the  manuscript  is  preserved,  and  to  Mr.  Clarence  S. 
Brigham,  librarian  of  the  society.  The  facsimile  is  slightly  reduced. 

The  second  plate  is  intended  to  elucidate  the  question  whether 
More  Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World  was  written  by  Robert  Calef 
the  elder  or  by  his  son  Robert  Calef  the  younger.  Most  writers 
hitherto  have  attributed  it  to  the  younger  Calef;  Professor  Burr 
may  be  regarded  as  having  settled  the  question  (pp.  291-295)  in 
favor  of  the  elder.  The  plate  shows  facsimiles  of  the  following:  (1) 
from  the  Mather-Calef  paper  of  1694-1695  (see  p.  306,  note  1),  the 
last  three  or  four  lines  of  Mather's  text,  with  the  marginalia  of 
Robert  Calef  at  the  side,  and  the  first  three  or  four  lines  of  Calef's 
marginalia  beneath — lines  unquestionably  penned  by  the  author  of 
More  Wonders;  (2)  from  the  letter  written  to  Lord  Bellomont  by 
that  author,  accompanying  a  copy  of  the  book  (see  p.  292,  note  1, 
below),  the  first  three  lines  and  the  last,  with  signature;  (3)  from 
the  appraisers'  report  of  1693  (ibid.),  the  signature;  (4)  from  the 
coroner's  verdict  of  1696,  the  signature;  (5)  from  the  arbitrators' 
report  of  1697,  the  first  three  or  four  lines  and  the  signature — all 
these  of  the  elder  Robert;  (6)  from  the  selectman's  report  of  1717  (?), 
the  lines  showing  it  the  elder  Robert's  as  a  selectman  of  Roxbury, 
with  the  lines  at  the  end  and  the  signature;  (7)  signature  of  Robert 
Calef  the  younger,  1708;  (8)  signature  of  Robert  the  younger,  1719, 
with  the  words  adjoining  it  in  the  receipt.  For  the  second  of  these 
we  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Wilberforce  Eames  of  the  New  York  Public 
Library,  for  the  others  to  Mr.  Worthington  C.  Ford  of  the  Massa- 

xiii 


riv  NOTE 

chusetts  Historical  Society  and  to  the  official  custodians  of  the  vari- 
ous documents,  in  Boston. 

The  third  illustration  is  a  facsimile,  slightly  reduced,  of  the  pe- 
tition of  Mary  Esty,  preserved  at  Salem,  Massachusetts,  in  the  files 
of  the  Superior  Court  for  Essex  County.  By  the  kindness  of  the 
clerk,  and  of  Mr.  George  Francis  Dow,  secretary  of  the  Essex  In- 
stitute, it  is  here  reproduced  in  such  a  manner  as  to  show  both  pages 
of  the  original. 

J.  F.  J. 


PREFACE 

THESE  narratives  of  witchcraft  are  no  fairy  tales.  Weird  though 
they  seem  to  us,  they  were  to  thousands  of  men  and  women  in 
seventeenth-century  America  the  intensest  of  realities.  They  were 
the  bulletins  of  a  war  more  actual,  more  cruel,  more  momentous, 
than  any  fray  of  flesh  and  blood.  Nor  were  they  bulletins  alone, 
these  messages  of  each  latest  skirmish  in  that  age-long  war  of  Heaven 
with  Hell.  To  those  enlisted  in  that  war  they  were  instruction, 
encouragement,  appeal,  as  well;  and  as,  in  our  day,  to  men  once 
fascinated  by  world-politics,  so  in  that  to  those  awakened  to  these 
vaster  interests  of  a  universe,  all  pettier  concerns  seemed  trivial  and 
provincial.  To  count  the  matter  a  panic  local  to  New  England,  or 
even  a  passing  madness  of  the  Christian  world,  is  to  take  a  narrow 
view  of  history. 

But  to  the  modern  student  there  is  danger  of  a  graver  error. 
For  to  count  that  witch-panic  a  something  incident  to  human 
nature,  and  common  to  all  lands  and  times,  is  to  repudiate  history 
altogether.  Whatever  in  universal  human  experience  anthropology 
or  folk-lore  may  find  akin  to  it,  the  witchcraft  our  fathers  feared  and 
fought  was  never  universal,  in  place  or  time.  It  belonged  alone  to 
Christian  thought  and  modern  centuries;  and  clear  as  day  to  the 
historian  of  ideas  is  its  rise,  its  progress,  its  decline. 

It  was  not  till  the  later  thirteenth  century  that  the  theologians 
worked  out  their  theory  of  human  relations  with  Satan.  Not  till 
the  fourteenth  did  the  Holy  Inquisition  draw  witchcraft  fully  into 
its  own  jurisdiction  and,  by  confusing  it  with  heresy,  first  make  the 
witches  a  diabolic  sect  and  give  rise  to  the  notion  of  the  witch- 
sabbath.  It  was  in  the  fifteenth  that  the  theory  and  the  procedure 
spread  to  the  secular  courts,  and  that  in  these,  as  in  the  ecclesiastical, 
the  torture  began  to  prove  an  inexhaustible  source  of  fresh  accusa- 
tions, fresh  delusions.  In  the  sixteenth  the  Reformation  for  a  little 
distracted  attention  to  heresy;  but  soon  Protestant  was  vying  with 
Catholic  in  the  quest  of  the  minions  of  Satan,  and  it  was  in  the  later 

xv 


xvi  PREFACE 

sixteenth  century  and  the  earlier  seventeenth  that  panic  and  per- 
secution reached  their  height.  Italy,  Spain,  France,  which  earliest 
had  suffered,  were  earliest  to  listen  to  reason.  Germany,  long  hesi- 
tant to  begin,  passed  all  other  lands  in  thoroughness  and  in  persis- 
tence. How  many  were  the  victims  is  even  here  a  matter  for  guess- 
work; but  they  counted  by  many,  many  thousands.  At  Osnabriick 
121  were  burned  in  1583,  133  in  1589;  at  Ellwangen  167  in  1612;  at 
Wiirzburg  a  careful  list  in  February,  1629,  names  158  burned  since 
1627,  and  the  burnings  were  still  going  briskly  on.  Not  even  Scot- 
land could  rival  this  German  zeal;  and  Scotland  was  later  to  begin. 
England,  lacking  both  the  Inquisition  and  the  torture,  long  es- 
caped; but  the  religious  exiles  who  flocked  back  from  the  Continent 
at  the  accession  of  Elizabeth  brought  the  epidemic  with  them,  and 
protest  was  hushed  when  in  1603  there  mounted  the  English  throne 
the  king,  a  Scot  and  a  Calvinist,  whose  own  royal  hand  had  plied 
against  the  witches  both  torture  and  the  pen.  The  advent  of  James 
was  followed,  in  1604,  by  the  enactment  of  a  sterner  statute,  which, 
like  those  of  Scotland  and  the  Continent,  embodied  the  teaching  of 
the  theologians  and  subordinated  the  crime  to  the  sin.  But,  though 
for  a  time  English  zeal  against  witches  was  quickened,  it  was  not 
till  the  Civil  Wars  threw  the  courts  into  the  hands  of  men  more 
prone  to  religious  excitement  that  England  knew  a  witch-panic  like 
those  of  neighbor  lands.  Then,  in  1645-1647,  her  Puritan  Eastern 
counties,  having  found  in  enforced  sleeplessness  a  substitute  for  the 
torture,  sent  witches  to  death  by  the  score;  and  then  it  was,  in  1647 
^  and  1648,  that  in  her.  Hew  England  colonies  witch-trials  first  ap- 
r  pear.  Of  their  story  there  our  narratives  will  tell  us.  In  the  home 
land  the  superstition  slowly  waned,  and,  despite  the  able  protests  of 
J  its  advocates  and  the  occasional  zeal  of  a  pious  judge,  England  saw 
,  her  last  witch-execution  in^682.  Trials,  indeed,  there  were  till  1717, 
I  and  in  Scotland  till  the  very  eve  of  the  act  of  Parliament  which  in 
1736  ended  the  matter  in  British  lands.  On  the  Continent  the  trials 
dribbled  on  till  the  eighties. 

But  let  it  not  be  thought  that  there  were  ever  wanting  those  who 
doubted  and  protested.  We  shall  find  them  in  seventeenth-century 
America;  and,  happily,  they  too  have  left  us  narratives. 

Though,  all  told,  the  number  of  America's  contributions  to  this 


PREFACE  xvii 

eerie  literature  is  not  great,  not  all  could  find  a  place  in  the  present 
volume.  The  general  editor  of  the  series  has,  however,  included  all 
that  can  be  counted  classical — those  most  quoted  in  their  day  or  in 
ours.  Narratives,  not  documents,  have  of  course  been  preferred  for 
the  volume;  but,  for  those  regions  where  no  narrative  of  witchcraft 
exists  (i.  e.,  outside  New  England),  court  records  have  had  to  take 
their  place.  And  since,  even  in  New  England,  the  narratives  rest 
often  on  such  records  and  by  the  critical  student  must  be  compared 
with  these,  the  notes  attempt  to  point  out  where  these  records,  if 
printed,  may  be  found. 

Not  a  few  of  the  narratives  here  reprinted  have  now  grown 
costly  or  even  unprocurable;  but  only  one  is  here  for  the  first  time 
published — Cotton  Mather's  A  Brand  pluck'd  out  of  the  Burning 
(1693).  A  full  account  of  its  source  and  history  will  be  found  in  the 
prefixed  introduction  (pp.  247  ff.}.  As  in  the  other  volumes  of 
this  series,  the  order  of  the  narratives  is  chronological — though  often 
with  much  overlapping.  Where  there  is  a  connection  between  their 
themes,  and  especially  where  (as  with  the  Salem  witchcraft)  the  nar- 
ratives deal  with  the  same  events,  the  introductions  and  notes  aim  to 
make  the  connection  clear  and  to  invite  a  parallel  study.  Of  course, 
however,  the  present  volume  is  not  a  history,  and  must  pass  in  silence 
much  that  should  interest  the  student  of  witchcraft  in  America. 

Besides  aiding  the  narratives  to  explain  each  other  and  guiding 
the  student  to  the  further  materials  for  their  critical  study,  it  has 
been  the  editor's  aim  to  clear  up  whatever  is  obscure;  but  he  has 
nowhere  attempted  to  set  forth  the  theory  underlying  the  belief  in 
witchcraft  or  to  discuss  the  questions  which  still  divide  scholars.1  His 
effort  has  been  only  to  put  before  the  reader,  with  fairness  and  ex- 
actness, what  can  throw  light  on  these  American  episodes. 

It  remains  but  to  add  a  word  of  gratitude  to  those  into  whose 

1  To  those  who  need  such  help  the  'editor  may  venture  to  name  an  older 
study  of  his  own  on  The  Literature  of  Witchcraft  (in  the  Papers  of  the  American 
Historical  Association,  IV.),  which  undertakes  a  survey  of  the  development  of 
that  theory.  Further  light  may  be  had  from  the  familiar  chapters  of  Lecky 
and  of  Lea,  and  from  Dr.  Wallace  Notestein's  History  of  Witchcraft  in  England, 
now  an  indispensable  guide  to  the  English  background  of  American  dealings  with 
witchcraft.  And,  for  a  discussion  of  certain  fundamental  issues,  he  may  add  two 
papers  (by  Professor  G.  L.  Kittredge  and  himself)  in  the  Proceedings  (n.  s., 
XVIII. ,  XXI.)  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society. 


xviii  PREFACE 

labors  he  has  entered.  Most  of  these  are  adequately  cited  in  the 
introductions  or  the  notes;  but  certain  whose  help  has  been  more 
general  should  find  mention  here.  Samuel  G.  Drake's  Annals  of 
Witchcraft  in  New  England  and  elsewhere  in  the  United  States  (Bos- 
ton, 1869)  is  still  the  best  clew  to  American  witch-episodes  as  a 
whole.  Justin  Winsor's  chatty  paper  on  The  Literature  of  Witch- 
craft in  New  England  (American  Antiquarian  Society,  Proceedings, 
n.  s.,  X.)  is  a  convenient  introduction  to  that  literature,  and  George 
H.  Moore's  Notes  on  the  Bibliography  of  Witchcraft  in  Massachusetts 
(in  the  same  society's  Proceedings,  n.  s.,  V.)  is,  like  every  word  written 
on  this  subject  by  that  acute  scholar,  a  precious  aid  in  its  study. 
Quite  indispensable  as  a  conspectus  of  the  literature  as  a  whole  is  now 
the  List  of  Works  in  the  New  York  Public  Library  relating  to  Witch- 
craft in  the  United  States,  prepared  in  1908  for  that  library  by  Mr. 
George  F.  Black,  a  scholar  from  whose  studies  in  the  history  of 
witchcraft  other  fruit  is  to  be  hoped. 

The  thanks  of  the  reader  as  well  as  the  editor's  are  due  to  the 
American  Antiquarian  Society,  at  Worcester,  for  the  generous  cour- 
tesy with  which  it  has  permitted  the  printing  here  of  the  unpublished 
narrative  of  Cotton  Mather — a  courtesy  enhanced  by  help  received 
from  its  librarians.  Warm  gratitude,  too,  is  due  to  the  Massa- 
chusetts Historical  Society,  to  the  Boston  Public  Library,  to  the 
New  York  Public  Library,  and  to  the  custodians  of  the  public  records 
at  Boston,  for  the  use  of  the  autographs  which  figure  in  our  plate 
devoted  to  the  identification  of  Robert  Calef.  But,  should  mention 
be  made  of  all  those  to  whom  this  volume  is  in  debt  for  personal 
help,  the  list  would  be  too  long.  Yet  the  editor  cannot  lay  down  his 
pen  without  a  word  of  gratitude  to  his  old  teacher  and  lifelong  friend, 
ex-President  Andrew  D.  White,  of  Cornell,  who  first  inspired  him 
with  an  interest  in  this  subject  and  a  sense  of  its  importance,  and 
whose  unflagging  generosity  has  made  possible  the  gathering  of  that 
library  on  witchcraft,  now  perhaps  unequalled,  which  has  been  a 
chief  source  of  the  present  volume. 

GEORGE  L.  BURR. 
CORNELL  UNIVERSITY,  March,  1914. 


INTRODUCTION 

INCREASE  MATHER  (1639-1723),  divine,  historian,  college 
president^  colonial  statesman  and  diplomat,  is  a  familiar  fig- 
ure to  the  student  of  American  history.  Born  the  youngest 
son  of  a  religious  leader  known  in  Old  England  as  well  as 
New,  and  graduated  from  Harvard  in  1656,  while  Puritanism 
was  still  dominant  in  the  mother  land,  he  had  choice  of  two 
worlds  for  his  career,  and  at  first  elected  for  the  old,  where 
two  of  his  brothers  were  already  prospering.  First  a  student 
for  his  master's  degree  at  Dublin,  then  a  preacher  in  En- 
gland and  in  the  Channel  Islands,  he  would  gladly  have  re- 
mained beyond  sea,  but  for  the  religious  restrictions  of  the 
Restoration,  which  drove  him  home  in  1661 — though  not 
until  he  had  come  into  a  permanent  closeness  of  touch  with 
British  thought  and  feeling.  In  Boston  he  speedily  be- 
came the  minister  of  the  new  North  Church,  and  he  re- 
tained this  pastorate  throughout  his  life,  though  from  1685 
to  1701  he  added  to  its  duties  those  of  the  presidency  of 
Harvard.1 

But  not  his  diligence  as  a  student  nor  his  devotion  to  his 
influential  pulpit  could  blind  him  to  the  larger  affairs  of  New 
England  and  of  the  Christian  world.  It  was  he  who  in  1679 
stirred  up  his  colleagues  and  the  General  Court  to  the  con- 
vening of  a  synod  of  the  clergy,  which  should  consider  what 
evils  had  "provoked  the  Lord  to  bring  His  Judgments  on 

1  As  to  his  career  see  especially  the  careful  study  of  Sibley,  in  his  Biographical 
Sketches  of  the  Graduates  of  Harvard  University  (henceforward  to  be  cited  as 
Harvard  Graduates),  I.  410-470,  and  the  authorities  there  named. 

3 


4  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

New-England"  and  what  was  to  be  done  "that  so  these  Evils 
may  be  Reformed";  and  it  was  he  who  put  into  form  the 
result  of  their  deliberations.  Some  of  the  "judgments" — 
King  Philip's  war,  the  small-pox,  the  two  great  fires — he  felt 
to  call  for  lay  activity  as  well  as  clerical ;  but  the  others  com- 
plained of,  the  decay  of  piety  and  the  departure  from  the 
fathers'  ways,  were  ills  for  pastoral  healing,  and  in  1681,  the 
year  that  followed  the  final  session  of  that  "reforming  synod," 
another  general  meeting  of  the  ministers  took,  at  his  instance, 
that  action  for  "the  recording  of  illustrious  providences" 
which  is  recounted  in  the  following  pages. 

Such  a  method  of  arousing  men  to  religion  was  nothing 
new  in  Christian  history.  So,  a  thousand  years  before,  Pope 
Gregory,  culling  (precisely  as  did  now  the  New  England  leader) 
the  experiences  of  his  fellow  clerics,  had  compiled  those 
Dialogues  whose  tales  of  vision  and  apparition  served  for 
centuries  to  make  the  invisible  world  as  real  as  that  of  sight 
and  touch;  and  from  his  day  onward  such  "providences"  had 
been  to  clerical  historians  the  tissue  of  their  story.  In  the 
later  Middle  Ages  there  multiplied  collections  of  these  ex- 
empla.  Nor  did  the  Reformation  interrupt  their  use.  Lu- 
ther's own  sermons  and  table  talk  were  for  Protestants  a  mine 
of  "modern  instances";  and  out  of  such  materials  a  Hondorff, 
a  Lonicer,  a  Philip  Camerarius,  compiled  their  treasuries  for 
the  Lutheran  pulpit,  while  their  Zwinglian  and  Calvinistic 
neighbors  were  yet  better  equipped  by  the  industry  of  Theodor 
Zwinger  and  Simon  Goulart.  Puritan  England  had  found 
such  purveyors  in  Beard  and  Taylor  and  Samuel  Clarke. 
But  it  was  of  the  nature  of  these  attempts  to  keep  abreast 
of  the  warnings  of  Heaven  that  they  speedily  went  out  of 
date.  Only  an  enterprise  like  that  devised  by  Matthew 
Poole  for  their  continual  registry  could  meet  the  needs  of 
callous  and  forgetful  man. 

But  the  suggestion  of  Poole  was  twenty  years  old,  and 


INTRODUCTION  5 

even  the  draft  found  in  John  Davenport's  papers  must  for 
some  years  have  been  in  Mather's  hands:  what  new  impulse 
stirred  him  now  to  action?  It  is  not  hard  to  guess.  The 
group  of  Platonists  who  at  Cambridge,  the  mother  of. New 
England  Puritanism,  had  now  inherited  the  spokesmanship 
of  positive  religion,  laid  the  emphasis  of  then-  teaching  on 
what  they  called  "the  spiritual  world";  and  since  the  Resto- 
ration they  had  found  a  notable  ally.  Joseph  Glanvill,  a 
young  Oxford  theologian,  one  of  the  keenest  of  English  phil- 
osophic minds,  and  withal  one  of  the  most  rational,  had  taken 
a  brief  for  the  defence,  and  in  a  brilliant  essay  on  "the  van- 
ity of  dogmatizing"  had  in  1661  turned  the  guns  of  the  ra- 
tionalists upon  themselves.  It  was  not  the  dogmatizing  of 
theology,  but  that  of  the  audacious  rising  science  of  things 
natural  and  human,  whose  premises  he  attacked  and  seemed 
to  sweep  away;  and  great  was  the  applause  of  all  committed 
to  the  "eternal  verities."  But  he  speedily  discerned  that  the 
strength  of  his  skeptical  adversaries  lay  in  their  denial  and 
ridicule  of  what  they  counted  the  "old  wives'  tales"  of 
religion.  "Atheism  is  begun  in  Sadducism.  And  those  that 
dare  not  bluntly  say,  There  is  no  God,  content  themselves 
(for  a  fair  step,  and  Introduction)  to  deny  there  are  Spirits, 
or  Witches."  Wherefore,  with  astounding  boldness,  he  came 
in  1666  to  the  defence  of  ghosts  and  witches  in  an  essay,  oft 
reprinted,  whose  most  telling  title  was  A  Blow  at  Modem  Saddu- 
cism. He  had  now  adopted  to  the  full  the  tenets  of  the  Cam- 
bridge Platonists,  whose  leader,  Henry  More,  became  his  cor- 
respondent, almost  his  colleague,  and  like  them  he  championed 
all  old  tales;  but  his  keen  sight  discerned  that  "things  re- 
mote, or  long  past,  are  either  not  believed,  or  forgotten," 
whereas  "Modern  Relations,"  "being  fresh,  and  near,  and  at- 
tended with  all  the  circumstances  of  credibility,  it  may  be 
expected  they  should  have  more  success  upon  the  obstinacy 
of  Unbelievers."  To  his  essay  he  therefore  now  appended, 


6  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

and  swelled  with  each  successive  edition,  a  "collection  of 
modern  relations,"  which  should  demonstrate  from  present 
experience  "the  real  existence  of  apparitions,  spirits  and 
witches."  This  was  indeed  to  carry  the  war  into  Africa,  and 
the  Africans  rallied  to  their  guns.  John  Wagstaffe  in  1669 
and  1671,  the  anonymous  author  of  The  Doctrine  of  Devils 
in  1676,  John  Webster  in  1677,  came  to  the  defence  of  chal- 
lenged incredulity.  Glanvill  died  in  1680,  leaving  unfinished 
that  enlarged  edition  which  should  be  his  reply;  but  in  1681 
it  was  published  by  his  friend  Henry  More  (with  additions 
of  his  own,  including  a  mass  of  new  "relations")  under  the 
aggressive  title  of  Sadducismus  Triumphatus.1 

It  was  for  a  share  in  this  battle  royal,  to  which  his  book 
makes  many  allusions,  that  Increase  Mather  now  marshalled 
the  hosts  of  New  England  orthodoxy.  Their  broadside,  de- 
livered in  1684,  was  this  Essay  for  the  Recording  of  Illustrious 
Providences.2  Almost  at  the  same  time  (1685)  George  Sinclar, 
professor  at  Glasgow,  brought  out  in  Scotland  the  "choice 
collection  of  modern  relations"  which  he  called  Satan's  In- 
visible World  Discovered.  How  English  Puritanism  echoed  we 
shall  see  betimes. 

Mather's  book  was  forthwith  welcome.  It  went  through 
two  or  three  impressions  in  1684 — at  least  the  title-page  was 
thus  often  reprinted — and  a  part  of  the  copies  went  to  the 
London  market,  equipped  with  the  imprint  of  an  English 
bookseller.  The  book  is  best  known,  not  by  the  long  title 
of  its  title-page,  but  by  its  running  caption  of  "Remarkable 
Providences" — already  his  son  quotes  it  by  this  name — and 
it  was  under  this  title,  Remarkable  Providences  illustrative  of 
the  Earlier  Days  of  American  Colonisation,  that  a  convenient 

1  "Sadducism  Triumphed  Over."  More  spells  it  Saducismus;  but  this  was 
not  Glanvill 's  usage,  and  the  later  editions  have  a  double  d. 

1  It  is  true  the  book  of  Mather  is  not  wholly  on  "the  world  of  spirits" :  other 
"providences"  fill  half  the  volume.  But  it  is  more  largely  so  than  any  earlier 
collection  of  its  sort,  and  in  this  the  author's  interest  clearly  centres. 


INTRODUCTION  7 

little  reprint,  "with  introductory  preface  by  George  Offor," 
was  published  at  London  in  1856  (as  a  volume  in  John 
Russell  Smith's  "Library  of  Old  Authors"),  and  again  in 
1890. 


AN  ESSAY  FOR  THE  RECORDING  OF  ILLUSTRI- 
OUS PROVIDENCES 

An  Essay  For  the  Recording  of  Illustrious  Providences,  Wherein 
an  Account  is  given  of  many  Remarkable  and  very  Mem- 
orable Events,  which  have  happened  in  this  last  Age;  Es- 
pecially in  New-England. 

By  Increase  Mather,  Teacher  of  a  Church  at  Boston  in  New- 
England.  Psal.  107.  5.  Oh  that  men  would  praise  the 
Lord  for  his  goodness,  and  for  his  wonderful  works  to  the 
Children  of  Men.  Psal.  145.  4.  One  Generation  shall 
praise  thy  works  to  another,  and  shall  declare  thy  mighty 
acts. 

Boston  in  New-England,  Printed  by  Samuel  Green  for  Joseph 
Browning,  And  are  to  be  sold  at  his  Shop  at  the  corner  of 
the  Prison  Lane.  1684.1 

The  Preface. 

ABOUT  six  and  twenty  years  ago,  a  Design  for  the  Re- 
cording of  illustrious  Providences  was  under  serious  consid- 
eration among  some  eminent  Ministers  in  England  and  in 
Ireland.2  That  motion  was  pr'ncipally  set  on  foot  by  the 
Learned  Mr.  Matthew  Pool,  whose  Synopsis  Criticorum,  and 
other  Books  by  him  emitted,  have  made  him  famous  in  the 
World.3  But  before  any  thing  was  brought  to  effect,  the 

1  This  is  the  wording  of  what  is  believed  the   earliest  impression  of  the 
title-page.     It  has  a  misprint  in  the  first  citation  of  Scripture:   "Psal.  107.  5" 
should  be  Psal.  107.  8. 

2  As  the  author  signs  his  preface  on  January  1,  1684  (and  he  used  our  present 
calendar),  the  design  of  twenty-six  years  before  must  belong  to  1658  or  there- 
abouts.    At  that  time  he  was  himself  in  the  British  Isles  and  in  close  touch  with 
their  leading  Puritan  divines :  it  is  highly  probable  that  he  speaks  of  the  project 
from  personal  knowledge. 

1  Matthew  Poole  (1624-1679)  was  one  of  the  ablest  scholars  among  the 
English  Presbyterians.  Educated  at  Emmanuel  College,  Cambridge,  like  so 

8 


1658]        I.  MATHER,  REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES  9 

Persons  to  have  been  imployed,  had  their  thoughts  diverted 
another  way.  Nevertheless,  there  was  a  MSS.  (the  Composer 
whereof  is  to  me  unknown)  then  written,  wherein  the  Sub- 
jects proper  for  this  Record,  and  some  Rules  for  the  better 
managing  a  design  of  this  nature,  are  described.  In  that 
MSS.  I  find  notable  Stories  related  and  attested,  which  else- 
where I  never  met  with.  Particularly,  the  Story  of  Mr.  Earl 
of  Colchester,  and  another  mentioned  in  our  subsequent  Essay.1 
And  besides  those,  there  are  some  very  memorable  Passages 
written,  which  have  not  as  yet  been  published,  so  far  as  I 
understand.  There  are  in  that  MSS.  several  Remarkables 
about  Apparitions,  e.  g.  It  is  there  said,  that  Dr.  Frith, 
(who  was  one  of  the  Prebends  belonging  to  Windsor)  lying 
on  his  Bed,  the  Chamber  Doors  were  thrown  open,  and  a 
Corps  with  attending  Torches  brought  to  his  Bed-side  upon 
a  Bier;  The  Corps  representing  one  of  his  own  Family:  After 
some  pause,  there  was  such  another  shew,  till  he,  the  said 
Dr.,  his  Wife  and  all  his  Family  were  brought  in  on  the  Bier 
in  such  order  as  they  all  soon  after  died.  The  Dr.  was  not 
then  sick,  but  quickly  grew  Melancholly,  and  would  rising  at 
Midnight  repair  to  the  Graves  and  monuments  at  Eaton2 
Colledge;  saying,  that  he  and  his  must  shortly  take  up  their 
habitation  among  the  Dead.  The  Relater  of  this  Story  (a 
Person  of  great  integrity)  had  it  from  Dr.  Frith's  Son,  who 
also  added,  My  Fathers  Vision  is  already  Executed  upon  all 
the  Family  but  my  self,  my  time  is  next,  and  near  at  hand. 
In  the  mentioned  MSS.  there  is  also  a  marvelous  Relation 
concerning  a  young  Scholar  in  France:  For,  it  is  there  af- 
firmed, that  this  prophane  Student,  having  by  extravagant 
courses  outrun  his  means,  in  his  discontent  walking  solitarily, 
a  Man  came  to  him,  and  enquired  the  cause  of  his  sadness. 
Which  he  owning  to  be  want  of  Money,  had  presently  a  supply 
given  him  by  the  other.  That  being  quickly  consumed  upon 

many  of  the  religious  leaders  of  New  England,  he  was  at  first  a  pastor  in  London, 
but,  ejected  in  1662  by  the  Act  of  Uniformity,  devoted  himself  to  scholarship, 
and  is  best  known  by  the  Synopsis  Criticorum,  into  whose  five  huge  folios  (1669- 
1676)  he  condensed  the  substance  of  earlier  commentators  on  the  Scriptures.  Of 
his  scheme  for  the  recording  of  illustrious  providences  we  know  only  what  is 
here  told  us. 

1  These  stories  are  told  in  the  chapter  on  "Apparitions,"  not  here  reprinted. 

2  Eton. 


10          NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1658 

his  Lusts,  as  soon  as  his  Money  was  gone  his  Discontent  re- 
turned; and  in  his  former  Walk,  he  met  with  his  former  Re- 
liever, who  again  offered  to  supply  him;  but  askt  him  to  con- 
tract with  him  to  be  his,  and  to  sign  the  contract  with  his 
Blood.  The  woful  wretch  consented:  but  not  long  after, 
considering  that  this  contract  was  made  with  the  Devil,  the 
terrors  of  his  Conscience  became  insupportable;  so  as  that  he 
endeavoured  to  kill  himself  to  get  out  of  them.  Some  Min- 
isters, and  other  Christians,  being  informed  how  matters  were 
circumstanced,  kept  dayes  of  Prayer  for  him  and  with  him: 
and  he  was  carefully  watched  that  so  he  might  be  kept  from 
Self-Murder.  Still  he  continued  under  Terror,  and  said  he 
should  clo  so,  as  long  as  the  Covenant  which  he  had  signed, 
remained  in  the  hands  of  the  Devil.  Hereupon,  the  Ministers 
resolve  to  keep  a  day  of  Fasting  and  Prayer  in  that  very 
place  of  the  Field  where  the  distressed  creature  had  made 
the  woful  Bargain,  setting  him  in  the  midst  of  them.  Thus 
they  did,  and  being  with  special  actings  of  Faith  much  en- 
larged to  pray  earnestly  to  the  Lord  to  make  known  his  power 
over  Satan,  in  constraining  him  to  give  up  that  contract,  after 
some  hours  continuance  in  Prayer,  a  Cloud  was  seen  to  spread 
it  self  over  them,  and  out  of  it  the  very  contract  signed  with 
the  poor  creatures  Blood  was  dropped  down  amongst  them; 
which  being  taken  up  and  viewed,  the  party  concerned  took 
it,  and  tore  it  in  pieces.  The  Relator  had  this  from  the  mouth 
of  Mr.  Beaumond,1  a  Minister  of  Note  at  Caon2  in  Nor- 
mandy, who  assured  him  that  he  had  it  from  one  of  the  Min- 
isters that  did  assist  in  carrying  on  the  Day  of  prayer  when 
this  memorable  providence  hapned.  Nor  is  the  Relation  im- 
possible to  be  true,  for  Luther  speaks  of  a  providence  not 
unlike  unto  this,  which  hapned  in  his  Congregation.3 

This  MSS.  doth  also  mention  some  most  Remarkable 
Judgments  of  God  upon  Sinners,  as  worthy  to  be  Recorded 

*Jean  de  Baillehache,  seigneur  de  Beaumont.  Two  of  the  name,  father 
and  son,  held  in  succession  the  Huguenot  pastorate  at  Caen,  and  were  of  like 
eminence. 

*Caen. 

•The  "providence"  he  means  is  that  related  by  Samuel  Clarke  (Mirrour 
.  .  .  of  Examples,  fourth  ed.,  London,  1671 — the  edition  used  by  Mather — I.  34) 
of  a  young  man  at  Wittenberg  whose  contract  the  Devil  threw  in  at  the  church 
window. 


1658]        I.  MATHER,  REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES 

for  Posterity  to  take  notice  of.  It  is  there  said,  that  when 
Mr.  Richard  Juxon  was  a  Fellow  of  Kings  Colledge  in  Cam- 
bridge, he  led  a  most  vicious  life:  and  whereas  such  of  the 
Students  as  were  serious  in  matters  of  Religion,  did  endeavour 
by  solemn  Fasting  and  Prayer  to  prepare  themselves  for  the 
Communion  which  was  then  (this  was  about  the  year  1636) 
on  Easter-Day,  This  Juxon  spent  all  the  time  of  prepara- 
tion in  Drunken  wild  Meetings,  and  was  up  late  and  Drunk 
on  the  Saturday  night.  Nevertheless,  on  the  Lords  day,  he 
came  with  others  to  the  Communion,  and  sat  next  to  the 
Relator,  who  knowing  his  Disorder  the  night  before,  was 
much  troubled:  but  had  no  remedy;  Church-Discipline  net 
being  then  so  practised  as  ought  to  have  been.  The  Com- 
munion being  ended,  such  of  the  Scholars  as  had  the  fear  of 
God  in  their  hearts,  repaired  to  their  Closets.  But  this  Juxon 
went  immediately  to  a  Drunken-meeting,  and  there  to  a  Cock- 
fight, where  he  fell  to  his  accustomed  madness,  and  pouring 
out  a  volley  of  Oaths  and  Curses;  while  these  were  between 
his  Lips,  God  smote  him  dead  in  the  twinkle  of  an  eye.  And 
though  Juxon  were  but  young,  and  of  a  comely  person,  his 
Carcase  was  immediately  so  corrupted  as  that  the  stench  of 
it  was  insufferable,  insomuch  that  no  house  would  receive  it; 
and  his  Friends  were  forced  to  hire  some  base  Fellows  to 
watch  the  Carcase  till  night;  and  then  with  Pitch  and  such 
like  Gums  covered  him  in  a  Coffin,  and  so  made  a  shift  to  en- 
dure his  Interment.  There  stood  by  a  Scholar,  whose  name 
was  George  Hall,  and  who  acted  his  part  with  Juxon  in  his 
prophaneness :  but  he  was  so  astonished  with  this  amazing 
Providence  of  God,  as  that  he  fell  down  upon  his  knees,  beg- 
ging pardoning  mercy  from  Heaven,  and  vowing  a  Reforma- 
tion; which  vow  the  Lord  enabled  him  to  keep,  so  as  that  x 
afterwards  he  became  an  able  and  famous  Minister  of  the  \ 
Gospel. 

One  strange  passage  more  I  shall  here  relate  out  of  the 
MSS.  which  we  have  thus  far  made  mention  of.  Therein  I 
find  part  of  a  Letter  transcribed;  which  is  as  followeth: 

Lismore,  Octob.  2.  1658.  In  another  part  of  this  Countrey,  a 
poor  man  being  suspected  to  have  stollen  a  Sheep  was  questioned 
for  it;  he  forswore  the  thing,  and  wished  that  if  he  had  stollen  it, 


12  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1681 

God  would  cause  the  Horns  of  the  Sheep  to  grow  upon  him.  This 
man  was  seen  within  these  few  dayes  by  a  Minister  of  great  repute 
for  Piety,  who  saith,  that  the  Man  has  an  Horn  growing  out  of  one 
corner  of  his  Mouth,  just  like  that  of  a  sheep:  from  which  he  hath 
cut  seventeen  Inches,  and  is  forced  to  keep  it  tyed  by  a  string  to 
his  Ear,  to  prevent  its  growing  up  to  his  eye:  This  Minister  not 
only  saw  but  felt  this  Horn,  and  reported  it  in  this  Family  this  week, 
as  also  a  Gentleman  formerly  did,  who  was  himself  an  eye-witness 
thereof.  Surely  such  passages  are  a  Demonstrative  evidence  that 
there  is  a  God,  who  judgeth  in  the  Earth,  and  who  though  he  stay 
long,  will  not  be  mocked  alwayes. 

I  shall  say  no  more  concerning  the  MSS.  only  that  it  was 
sent  over  to  Reverend  Mr.  Davenport/  by  (as  I  suppose) 
Mr.  Hartlib.2  How  it  came  to  lie  dormient  in  his  hands  I 
know  not:  though  I  had  the  happiness  of  special  Intimacy 
with  that  worthy  Man,  I  do  not  remember  that  ever  I  heard 
him  speak  any  thing  of  it.  But  since  his  Death,  looking  over 
his  MSS's  I  met  with  this,  and  communicated  it  to  other 
Ministers,  who  highly  approved  of  the  noble  design  aimed  at 
therein.  Soon  after  which,  some  Proposals  in  order  to  the 
reviving  of  this  work  were  drawn  up,  and  presented  at  a  gen- 
eral Meeting  of  the  Ministers  in  this  Colony,  May  12,  1681, 
which.it  may  not  be  unsuitable  here  to  recite. 

Some  Proposals  concerning  the  Recording  of  Illustrious  Providences. 

I.     In  Order  to  the  promoving 3  of  a  design  of  this  Nature,  so 
as  shall  be  indeed  for  Gods  Glory,  and  the  good  of  Posterity,  it  is 

1  John  Davenport  (1597-1670),  one  of  the  most  eminent  of  the  Puritan  di- 
vines, who,  after  a  career  as  preacher  in  London  and  in  Amsterdam,  came  in  1637 
to  New  England  and  became  the  founder  and  leader  of  the  New  Haven  theocracy. 
When  at  last  that  colony  was  merged  in  that  of  Connecticut  he  accepted  (1668) 
the  call  of  the  conservative  First  Church  in  Boston,  and  there  died. 

1  Samuel  Hartlib  (c.  1600-c.  1670),  son  of  a  Polish  merchant  of  German 
extraction  and  of  an  English  mother,  was  born  in  Prussia,  but  spent  most  of  his 
life  in  England.  He  is  perhaps  best  known  as  the  friend  of  Milton;  but  "every- 
body knew  Hartlib."  By  business  a  merchant,  he  was  deeply  interested  in  re- 
ligious affairs,  and  had  a  wide  correspondence  with  Protestant  scholars  through- 
out Christendom,  laboring  for  their  union  and  incidentally  carrying  on  at  London 
a  sort  of  general  news  agency.  Writing  September  3,  1661,  to  Governor  Win- 
throp  of  Connecticut,  Hartlib  sends  therewith  "a  small  packet"  for  Mr.  Daven- 
port, to  whom  he  "cannot  write  for  the  present."  (Mass.  Hist.  Soc.,  Proceedings, 
1878,  p.  212.)  «  Promoting. 


1681]        I.  MATHER,  REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES  13 

necessary  that  utmost  care  shall  be  taken  that  All,  and  Only  Re- 
markable Providences  be  Recorded  and  Published. 

II.  Such  Divine  Judgements,  Tempests,  Floods,  Earth-quakes, 
Thunders  as  are  unusual,  strange  Apparitions,  or  what  ever  else 
shall  happen  that  is  Prodigious,  Witchcrafts,  Diabolical  Possessions, 
Remarkable  Judgements  upon  noted  Sinners,  eminent  Deliverances, 
and  Answers  of  Prayer,  are  to  be  reckoned  among  Illustrious  Provi- 
dences. 

III.  Inasmuch  as  we  find  in  Scripture,  as  well  as  in  Ecclesias- 
tical History,  that  the  Ministers  of  God  have  been  improved1  in 
the  Recording  and  Declaring  the  works  of  the  Lord;  and  since  they 
are  in  divers  respects  under  peculiar  Advantages  thereunto:   It  is 
proposed,  that  each  one  in  that  capacity  may  diligently  enquire  into, 
and  Record  such  Illustrious  Providences  as  have  hapned,  or  from 
time  to  time  shall  happen,  in  the  places  whereunto  they  do  belong: 
and  that  the  Witnesses  of  such  notable  Occurrents2  be  likewise  set 
down  in  Writing. 

IV.  Although  it  be  true,  that  this  Design  cannot  be  brought 
unto  Perfection  in  one  or  twro  years,  yet  it  is  much  to  be  desired 
that  something  may  be  done  therein  out  of  hand,  as  a  Specimen  of 
a  more  large  Volumn,  that  so  this  work  may  be  set  on  foot,  and 
Posterity  may  be  encouraged  to  go  on  therewith. 

V.  It  is  therefore  Proposed  that  the  Elders  may  concurre  in 
desiring  some  one  that  hath  Leisure  and  Ability  for  the  management 
of  such  an  undertaking,  with  all  convenient  speed  to  begin  there- 
with. 

VI.  And  that  therefore  other  Elders  do  without  delay  make 
Enquiry  concerning  the  Remarkable  Occurrents  that  have  formerly 
fallen  out,  or  may  fall  out  hereafter,  where  they  are  concerned,  and 
transmit  them  unto  the  aforesaid  person,  according  to  the  Direc- 
tions above  specified,  in  order  to  a  speedy  Publication. 

VII.  That  Notice  be  given  of  these  Proposals  unto  our  Brethren, 
the  Elders  of  the  Neighbour  Colonies,  that  so  we  may  enjoy  their 
Concurrence,  and  Assistance  herein. 

VIII.  When  any  thing  of  this  Nature  shall  be  ready  for  the 
Presse,  it  appears  on  sundry  Grounds  very  expedient,  that  it  should 
be  read,  and  approved  of  at  some  Meeting  of  the  Elders,  before 
Publication. 

These  things  being  Read  and  Considered,  the  Author  of 
this  Essay  was  desired  to  begin  the  work  which  is  here  done; 

1  Made  good  use  of:  the  usual  meaning  of  "improve"  in  these  narratives. 

2  Occurrences. 


14  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1653 

and  I  am  Engaged1  to  many  for  the  Materials  and  Informa- 
tions which  the  following  Collections  do  consist  of.  It  is  not 
easie  to  give  an  Account  of  things,  and  yet  no  circumstantial 
mistakes  attend  what  shall  be  related.  Nor  dare  I  averr, 
that  there  are  none  such  in  what  follows.  Only  I  have  been 
careful  to  prevent  them;  and  as  to  the  substance  of  each 
passage,  I  am  well  assured  it  is  according  to  Truth.  That 
rare  accident  about  the  Lightning  which  caused  a  wonderful 
change  hi  the  Compasses  of  a  Vessel  then  at  Sea,  was  as  is 
in  the  Book  expressed,  Page  91,  92.  Only  it  is  uncertain 
whether  they  were  then  exactly  in  the  Latitude  of  38.  For 
they  had  not  taken  an  Observation  for  several  dayes,  but  the 
Master  of  the  Vessel  affirms  that  to  be  the  Latitude  so  near 
as  they  could  conjecture.  Since  the  Needle  was  changed  by 
the  Lightning,  if  a  lesser  Compass  be  set  over  it,  the  Needle 
therein  (or  any  other  touched  with  the  Load-stone)  will  alter 
its  polarity  and  turn  about  to  the  South,  as  I  have  divers 
times  to  my  great  admiration  experimented.  There  is  near 
the  Northpoint  a  dark  spot,  like  as  if  it  were  burnt  with  a 
drop  of  Brimstone,  supposed  to  be  caused  by  the  Lightning. 
Whether  the  Magnetic  impressions  on  that  part  of  the  Needle 
being  dissipated  by  the  heat  of  the  Lightning,  and  the  effluvia 
on  the  South  end  of  the  Needle  only  remaining  untouched 
thereby,  be  the  true  natural  reason  of  the  marvelous  altera- 
tion; or  whither  it  ought  to  be  ascribed  to  some  other  cause, 
the  Ingenious  may  consider. 

There  is  another  Remarkable  Passage  about  Lightning 
which  hapned  at  Duxborough2  in  New-England,  concerning 
which  I  have  lately  received  this  following  Account. 

September  11,  1653,  (being  the  Lords  Day)  There  were  small 
drizling  Showers,  attended  with  some  seldome  and  scarce  perceiv- 
able rumbling  Thunders  until  towards  the  Evening;  at  what  time 
Mr.  Constant  Southworth  of  Duxbury  returning  home  after  evening 
Exercise,  in  company  with  some  Neighbours,  Discoursing  of  some 
extraordinary  Thunder-claps  with  Lightning,  and  the  awful  effects 
and  consequents  thereof,  (being  come  into  his  own  House)  there 
were  present  in  one  room  himself,  his  Wife,  two  Children,  viz.  Thomas 
(he  was  afterwards  drowned)  and  Benjamin,  (he  was  long  after  this 

1  Indebted.  *Duzbury,  Massachusetts. 


1653]        I.  MATHER,  REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES  15 

killed  by  the  Indians)  with  Philip  Delano  (a  Servant,)  there  broke 
perpendicularly  over  the  said  House  and  Room  a  most  awful  and 
amazing  clap  of  Thunder,  attended  with  a  violent  flash,  or  rather 
flame  of  Lightning;  which  brake  and  shivered  one  of  the  Needles  of 
the  Katted  or  Wooden  Chimney,  carrying  divers  Splinters  seven  or 
eight  Rods  distance  from  the  House:  it  filled  the  Room  with  Smoke 
and  Flame.  Set  fire  in  the  Thatch  of  a  Leanto  which  was  on  the 
backside  of  a  Room  adjoyning  to  the  former,  in  which  the  five  per- 
sons abovementioned  were.  It  melted  some  Pewter,  so  that  it  ran 
into  drops  on  the  out-side,  as  is  often  seen  on  Tin  ware;  melted 
round  holes  in  the  top  of  a  Fire-shovel  proportionable  in  quantity  to 
a  small  Goose-shot;  struck  Mrs.  Southworths  Arm  so  that  it  wras 
for  a  time  benummed;  smote  the  young  Child  Benjamin  in  his 
Mothers  Arms,  deprived  it  of  Breath  for  a  space,  and  to  the  Mothers 
apprehension  squetased  it  as  flat  as  a  Planck;  smote  a  Dog  stone-dead 
which  lay  within  two  foot  of  Philip  Delano,  the  Dog  never  moved 
out  of  his  place  or  posture,  in  which  he  was  when  smitten,  but  giving 
a  small  yelp,  and  quivering  with  his  toes,  lay  still,  blood  issuing 
from  his  Nose  or  Mouth.  It  smote  the  said  Philip,  made  his  right 
Arm  senseless  for  a  time,  together  with  the  middle  finger  in  special 
(of  his  right  hand)  which  was  benummed,  and  turned  as  white  as 
Chalk  or  Lime,  yet  attended  with  little  pain.  After  some  few  hours 
that  finger  began  to  recover  its  proper  colour  at  the  Knuckle,  and 
so  did  gradually  whiten  unto  its  extremity;  And  although  the  said 
Delano  felt  a  most  violent  heat  upon  his  body,  as  if  he  had  been 
scorched  in  the  midst  of  a  violent  burning  fire,  yet  his  Clothes  were 
not  singed,  neither  had  the  smell  of  fire  passed  thereon. 

I  could  not  insert  this  story  in  its  proper  place,  because 
I  received  it  after  that  Chapter  about  Thunder  and  Lightning 
was  Printed.  Some  credible  persons  who  have  been  Eye- 
witnesses of  it,  inform  me,  that  the  Lightning  in  that  House 
at  Duxborough  did  with  the  vehemency  of  its  flame,  cause 
the  Bricks  in  the  Chimney  to  melt  like  molten  lead:  which 
particular  was  as  Remarkable  as  any  of  the  other  mentioned 
in  the  Narrative,  and  therefore  I  thought  good  here  to  add  it. 

In  this  Essay,  I  design  no  more  than  a  Specimen ;  And  hav- 
ing (by  the  good  hand  of  God  upon  me)  set  this  Wheel  a 
going,  I  shall  leave  it  unto  others,  whom  God  has  fitted,  and 
shall  incline  thereto,  to  go  on  with  the  undertaking.1 

1  We  shall  see  how  this  suggestion  fruited  in  the  Memorable  Providences 
and  the  Wonders  of  his  son  Cotton;  and  in  1694  the  President  and  Fellows  of 


16  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1684 

Some  Digressions  I  have  made  in  distinct  Chapters,  han- 
dling several  considerable  Cases  of  Conscience,  supposing  it  not 
unprofitable,  or  improper  so  to  do;  since  the  things  related 
gave  the  occasion:  both  Leisure  and  Exercise  of  Judgement 
are  required  in  the  due  performance  of  a  Service  of  this  Na- 
ture: There  are  some  that  have  more  leisure,  and  many  that 
have  greater  Abilities  than  I  have:  I  expect  not  that  they 
should  make  my  Method  their  Standard;  but  they  may 
follow  a  better  of  their  own,  as  they  shall  see  cause.  The 
Addition  of  Parallel  Stories  is  both  pleasing  and  edifying: 
Had  my  reading  and  remembrance  of  things  been  greater,  I 
might  have  done  more  that  way,  as  I  hope  others  will  in  the 
next  Essay. 

I  could  have  mentioned  some  very  memorable  Passages 
of  Divine  Providence,  wherein  the  Countrey  in  general  hath 
been  concerned.  Some  Remarkables  of  that  kind  are  to  be 
seen  in  my  former  Relations  of  the  Troubles  occasioned  by 
the  Indians  in  New-England.1  There  are  other  particulars 
no  less  worthy  to  be  Recorded,  but  in  my  judgement,  this  is 
not  so  proper  a  season  for  us  to  divulge  them.  It  has  been 
in  my  thoughts  to  publish  a  Discourse  of  Miscellaneous  ob- 
servations, concerning  things  rare  and  wonderful,  both  as  to 
the  works  of  Creation  and  Providence,  which  in  my  small 
Readings  I  have  met  with  in  many  Authors : 2  But  this  must 
suffice  for  the  present.  I  have  often  wished,  that  the  Natural 
History  of  New-England  might  be  written  and  published  to 
the  World;  the  Rules  and  method  described  by  that  Learned 
and  excellent  person  Robert  Boyle  Esq.3  being  duely  observed 

Harvard  College  (Increase  Mather  being  himself  the  President,  and  Cotton  one 
of  the  eight  fellows)  addressed  once  more  to  the  ministers  of  New  England  an 
appeal  for  the  recording  and  reporting  of  "remarkables."  It  may  be  found  in 
bk.  VI.  of  Cotton  Mather's  Magnolia  (1702),  at  the  head  of  his  collection  of  such 
providences,  into  which  he  incorporated  many  of  those  already  related  by  his 
father. 

1  He  doubtless  means  both  his  A  Brief  History  of  the  War  with  the  Indians 
in  New-England  (Boston,  1676)  and  his  A  Relation  of  the  Troubles  which  have 
hapned  in  New-England  (Boston,  1677). 

1  This  project  was  never  carried  out. 

»  Robert  Boyle  (1627-1691)  was  then  the  glory  of  English  science.  But  he 
was  also  governor  of  the  Corporation  for  the  Spread  of  the  Gospel  in  New  England. 
His  "Heads  for  the  Natural  History  of  a  Country"  may  be  found  in  vol.  III. 
(pp.  5-14)  of  his  Philosophical  Works  (London,  1725). 


1684]        I.  MATHER,  REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES  17 

therein.  It  would  best  become  some  Scholar  that  has  been 
born  in  this  Land,  to  do  such  a  service  for  his  Countrey. 
Nor  would  I  my  self  decline  to  put  my  hand  (so  far  as  my 
small  capacity  will  reach)  to  so  noble  an  undertaking,  did 
not  manifold  diversions  and  employments  prevent  me  from 
attending  that  which  I  should  account  a  profitable  Recreation. 
I  have  other  work  upon  me,  which  I  would  gladly  finish  be-- 
fore I  leave  the  World,  and  but  a  very  little  time  to  do  it  in: 
Moreover,  not  many  years  ago,  I  lost  (and  that's  an  afflictive 
loss  indeed!)  several  Moneths  from  study  by  sickness.  Let 
every  God-fearing  Reader  joyn  with  "me  in  Prayer,  that  I 
may  be  enabled  to  redeem  the  time,  and  (in  all  wayes  wherein 
I  am  capable)  to  serve  my  Generation. 

INCREASE  MATHER. 
Boston  in  New-England, 
January  I,  168|. 


CHAP.  V. 

Concerning  things  preternatural  which  have  hapned  in  New- 
England.  A  Remarkable  Relation  about  Ann  Cole  of 
Hartford.  Concerning  several  Witches  in  that  Colony.  Of 
the  Possessed  Maid  at  Groton.  An  account  of  the  House  in 
Newberry  lately  troubled  with  a  Damon.  A  parallel  Story 
of  an  House  at  Tedworth  in  England.  Concerning  another 
in  Hartford.  And  of  one  in  Portsmouth  in  New-England 
lately  disquieted  by  Evil  Spirits.  The  Relation  of  a  Woman 
at  Barwick  in  New-England  molested  with  Apparitions,  and 
sometimes  tormented  by  invisible  Agents. 

INASMUCH  as  things  which  are  prseternatural,  and  not  ac- 
complished without  diabolical  operation,  do  more  rarely  hap- 
pen/ it  is  pitty  but  that  they  should  be  observed.  Several 

1  More  rarely,  that  is,  than  those  supernatural  wonders  that  proceed  from 
God.  It  is  of  these — of  "remarkable  sea-deliverances,"  of  "other  remarkable 
preservations,"  of  "remarkables  about  thunder  and  lightning" — that  earlier 
chapters  have  told.  In  chapter  IV.,  however,  the  author  argues  that  thunder- 
storms are  sometimes  the  work  of  Satan,  and  he  is  now  ready  to  take  up  Satanic 
marvels. 


18  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1662 

Accidents  of  that  kind  have  hapned  in  New-England;  which 
I  shall  here  faithfully  Relate  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to 
come  unto  the  knowledge  of  them. 

^  .Very  Remarkable  was  that  Providence  wherein  Ann  Cole 
of  Hartford  in  New-England  was  concerned.1  She  was  and 
is  accounted  a  person  of  real  Piety  and  Integrity.  Neverthe- 
less, in  the  Year  1662,  then  living  in  her  Fathers  House  (who 
has  likewise  been  esteemed  a  godly  Man)  She  was  taken 
with  very  strange  Fits,  wherein  her  Tongue  was  improved  by 
a  Daemon  to  express  things  which  she  her  self  knew  nothing 
of.  Sometimes  the  Discourse  would  hold  for  a  considerable 
time.  The  general  purpose  of  which  was,  that  such  and  such 
persons  (who  were  named  in  the  Discourse  which  passed  from 
her)  were  consulting  how  they  might  carry  on  mischievous 
designs  against  her  and  several  others,  mentioning  sundry 
wayes  they  should  take  for  that  end,  particularly  that  they 
would  afflict  her  Body,  spoil  her  Name,  etc.  The  general 
answer  made  amongst  the  Daemons,  was,  She  runs  to  the 
Rock.  This  having  been  continued  some  hours,  the  Daemons 
said,  Let  us  confound  her  Language,  that  she  may  tell  no 
more  tales.  She  uttered  matters  unintelligible.  And  then 
the  Discourse  passed  into  a  Dutch-tone  (a  Dutch  Family2  then 

1  This  story  was  reported  by  the  Rev.  John  Whiting,  from  1660  a  pastor 
at  Hartford,  the  home  of  his  family,  in  a  letter  of  December  4,  1682,  now  in  the 
keeping  of  the  Boston  Public  Library  and  published  (1868)  in  the  Mather  Papers 
(Mass.  Hist.  Soc.,  Collections,  fourth  series,  VTII.)  at  pp.  466-469.     The  incidents 
occurred  in  1662.     This  was  by  no  means  the  earliest  of  Connecticut's  witch  cases. 
On  these  in  general  see  the  sane  and  lucid  study  of  C.  H.  Levermore,  in  the  New 
Englander,  XLIV.  (1885),  788-817,  and,  condensed,  in  the  New  England  Magazine, 
new  series,  VI.  (1892),  636-644;  also  F.  Morgan's  in  Connecticut  as  a  Colony  and 
as  a  State  (Hartford,  1904),  I.  205-229,  and  in  the  American  Historical  Magazine, 
I.  (1906),  216-238;  and  J.  M.  Taylor's  little  monograph,  The  Witchcraft  Delusion 
in  Colonial  Connecticut  (New  York,  1908).     On  this  episode  in  particular  and  the 
surviving  records  see  also  C.  J.  Hoadly,  "A  Case  of  Witchcraft  in  Hartford,"  in 
the  Connecticut  Magazine,  V.  (1899),  557-560. 

2  The  name  of  this  Dutch  family,  as  appears  from  a  letter  of  Governor  Stuy- 
vesant  of  New  Amsterdam  addressed  October  13,  1662,  to  the  authorities  at 
Hartford,   was   Varleth,    or   Varlet.     Stuyvesant   accredits   his   brother-in-law 
(Capt.  Nicholas  Varleth),  now  "necessitated  to  make  a  second  voyage"  to  aid 
"his  distressed  sister  Judith  Varleth,"  imprisoned  on  the  charge  of  witchcraft, 
and  urges  on  her  behalf  "her  well  known  education,  life,  conversation  and  pro- 
fession of  faith" — and  with  success,  for  this  Judith,  becoming  at  her  father's 
death  his  heiress,  repaired  to  New  Netherland  and  there  (1666)  marrying  Stvy- 


1662]  r     I.  MATHER,  REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES  19 

lived  in  the  Town)  and  therein  an  account  was  given  of  some 
afflictions  that  had  befallen  divers;  amongst  others,  what 
had  befallen  a  Woman  that  lived  next  Neighbour  to  the  Dutch 
Family,  whose  Arms  had  been  strangely  pinched  in  the  night, 
declaring  by  whom  and  for  what  cause  that  course  had  been 
taken  with  her.1  The  Reverend  Mr.  Stone  (then  Teacher  of 
the  Church  in  Hartford) 2  being  by,  when  the  Discourse 
hapned,  declared,  that  he  thought  it  impossible  for  one  not 
familiarly  acquainted  with  the  Dutch  (which  Ann  Cole  had 
not  in  the  least  been)  should  so  exactly  imitate  the  Dutch- 
tone  in  the  pronunciation  of  English.  Several  Worthy  Per- 
sons, (viz.  Mr.  John  Whiting,  Mr.  Samuel  Hooker,  and  Mr. 
Joseph  Hains) 3  wrote  the  intelligible  sayings  expressed  by 
Ann  Cole,  whilest  she  was  thus  amazingly  handled.  The 
event  was  that  one  of  the  persons  (whose  Name  was  Green- 
smith)  being  a  lewd  and  ignorant  Woman,4  and  then  in 
Prison  on  suspicion  for  Witch-craft,  mentioned  in  the  Dis- 
course as  active  in  the  mischiefs  done  and  designed,  was  by 
the  Magistrate  sent  for;  Mr.  Whiting  and  Mr.  Haines  read 
what  they  had  written;  and  the  Woman  being  astonished 

vesant's  able  nephew,  Nicholas  Bayard,  shared  with  him  his  notable  role  in  the 
life  of  that  colony.  See  Walker,  History  of  the  First  Church  in  Hartford  (Hart- 
ford, 1884),  p.  177,  note;  Taylor  (as  above),  pp.  151-152;  Connecticut  Colonial 
Records,  1636-1665,  p.  387;  Documents  relating  to  the  Colonial  History  of  New 
York,  XIV.  518;  Records  of  New  Amsterdam  (New  York,  1897),  V.  130,  137; 
New  York  Genealogical  and  Biographical  Record,  X.  (1879),  35-36. 

1  She  was,  says  Mr.  Whiting,  a  sister  of  one  of  the  ministers  in  Hartford. 
Of  Mr.  Whiting  himself? 

2  Samuel  Stone  (1602-1663),  educated  at  Cambridge,  came  to  Massachusetts 
in  1633  with  Cotton  and  Hooker,  became  the  latter's  associate  in  the  pastorate, 
and  took  part  with  him  in  1636  in  the  founding  of  Hartford,  where  he  remained 
a  minister  till  his  death.     As  to  both  Stone  and  Whiting  (and  as  to  this  episode) 
see  especially  Walker,  History  of  the  First  Church  in  Hartford  (Hartford,  1884). 

3  By  "Mr.  John  Whiting"  (see  preceding  notes)  is  of  course  meant  Mather's 
informant  himself;  but  in  his  letter  he  says  that  he  "came  into  the  house  some 
time  after  the  discourse  began."     Hooker,  a  son  of  the  founder  of  the  Connecticut 
colony  and,  like  Whiting,  of  the  Harvard  class  of  1653,  had  in  1662  just  become 
pastor  at  the  neighboring  Farmington.     Haynes  (1641-1679),  son  of  the  governor, 
was  an  incipient  divine,  destined  in  1664  to  succeed  Stone  as  Whiting's  fellow- 
pastor  at  Hartford. 

4  "Considerably  aged,"  adds  Whiting.     She  had  twice  been  married  before 
she  became  the  wife  of  Nathaniel  Greensmith,  and  by  her  first  husband,  Abraham 
Elson,  had  two  daughters,  who  were  now  aged  about  seventeen  and  fifteen. 


r 


20  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1662 

thereat,  confessed  those  things  to  be  true,  and  that  she  and 
other  persons  named  in  this  preternatural  Discourse,  had  had 
familiarity  with  the  Devil :  Being  asked  whether  she  had  made 
an  express  Covenant  with  him,  she  answered,  she  had  not, 
only  as  she  promised  to  go  with  him  when  he  called,  which 
accordingly  she  had  sundry  times  done;  and  that  the  Devil 
told  her  that  at  Christmass  they  would  have  a  merry  Meet- 
ing, and  then  the  Covenant  between  them  should  be  sub- 
scribed. The  next  day  she  was  more  particularly  enquired 
of  concerning  her  Guilt  respecting  the  Crime  she  was  accused 
with.  She  then  acknowledged,  that  though  when  Mr.  Hains 
began  to  read  what  he  had  taken  down  in  Writing,  her  rage 
was  such  that  she  could  have  torn  him  in  pieces,  and  was  as 
resolved  as  might  be  to  deny  her  guilt  (as  she  had  done  before), 
yet  after  he  had  read  awhile,  she  was  (to  use  her  own  expres- 
sion) as  if  her  flesh  had  been  pulled  from  her  bones,  and  so 
could  not  deny  any  longer:  She  likewise  declared,  that  the 
Devil  first  appeared  to  her  in  the  form  of  a  Deer  or  Fawn, 
skipping  about  her,  wherewith  she  was  not  much  affrighted, 
and  that  by  degrees  he  became  very  familiar,  and  at  last 
would  talk  with  her.  Moreover,  she  said  that  the  Devil 
had  frequently  the  carnal  knowledge  of  her  Body.  And  that 
the  Witches  had  Meetings  at  a  place  not  far  from  her  House; 
and  that  some  appeared  in  one  shape,  and  others  in  another; 
and  one  came  flying  amongst  them  in  the  shape  of  a  Crow. 
Upon  this  Confession,  with  other  concurrent  Evidence,  the 
Woman  was  Executed;  so  likewise  was  her  husband,  though 
he  did  not  acknowledge  himself  guilty.1  Other  persons  ac- 
cused in  the  Discourse  made  their  escape.2  Thus  doth  the 

X  l  Nathaniel  Greensmith  and  Rebecca  his  wife  were  hanged  at  Hartford  in 
January,  1663.  They  seem  to  have  been  well-to-do,  but  not  over-reputable, 
people.  The  Greensmiths,  Whiting  tells  us,  lived  next  door  to  the  Coles.  "The 
instance  of  the  witch  executed  at  Hartford,"  says  Mather  in  his  next  chapter, 
"considering  the  circumstances  of  that  confession,  is  as  convictive  a  proof  as 
most  single  examples  that  I  have  met  with."  And  of  Ann  Cole  he  elsewhere 
adds  (Providences,  ch.  IV.):  "I  am  informed,  that  when  Matthew  Cole  was 
killed  with  the  lightning  at  North-Hampton,  the  daemons  which  disturbed  his 
sister,  Ann  Cole  (forty  miles  distant),  in  Hartford,  spoke  of  it,  intimating  their 
concurrence  in  that  terrible  accident." 

1  Beside  the  Greensmiths  and  perhaps  Judith  Varlet  there  was  implicated 
by  Ann  Cole  a  "Goodwife  Seager,"  and  Goodwife  Greensmith  is  known  to  have 


1662]        I.  MATHER,  REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES  21 

Devil  use  to  serve  his  Clients.  After  the  suspected  Witches 
were  either  executed  or  fled,  Ann  Cole  was  restored  to  health, 
and  has  continued  well  for  many  years,  approving  her  self  a 
serious  Christian. 

There  were  some  that  had  a  mind  to  try  whither1  the 
Stories  of  Witches  not  being  able  to  sink  under  water,  were 
true;  and  accordingly  a  Man  and  Woman  mentioned  in  Ann 
Cole's  Dutch-toned  discourse,  had  their  hands  and  feet  tyed, 
and  so  were  cast  into  the  water,  and  they  both  apparently 
swam  after  the  manner  of  a  Buoy,  part  under,  part  above 
the  Water.  A  by-stander  imagining  that  any  person  bound 
in  that  posture  would  be  so  born  up,  offered  himself  for  trial, 
but  being  in  the  like  matter  gently  laid  on  the  Water,  he 
immediately  sunk  right  down.  This  was  no  legal  Evidence 
against  the  suspected  persons;  nor  were  they  proceeded 
against  on  any  such  account;  However  doubting  that  an 
Halter  would  choak  them,  though  the  Water  would  not,  they 
very  fairly  took  their  flight,  not  having  been  seen  in  that 
part  of  the  World  since.  Whether  this  experiment  were  law- 
ful, or  rather  Superstitious  and  Magical,  we  shall  (<rvv  0eo>)2 
enquire  afterwards.3 

Another  thing  which  caused  a  noise  in  the  Countrey,  and 
wherein  Satan  had  undoubtedly  a  great  influence,  was  that 
which  hapned  at  Groton.4  There  was  a  Maid  in  that  Town 

mentioned  several  as  accomplices,  among  them  Judith  Varlet  and  Goodwife 
Ayres.  The  latter  and  her  husband  are  believed  to  be  the  "Man  and  Woman" 
told  of  in  the  next  paragraph. 

1  Whether.  *  "  With  God,"  i.  e.,  God  willing. 

3  This  was,  of  course,  the  well  known  "water  test"  for  witches.     Its  origin 
in  witch  procedure  is  obscure;  but  it  gained  vogue  in  thejater  sixteenth  century, 
finding  its  chief  spokesman  in  the  German  schoolmaster  Scribonius.     As  admin- 
istered on  the  Continent,  the  witch  was  "cross-bound,"  i.  e.,  with  right  thumb 
made  fast  to  left  great-toe  and  left  thumb  to  right  great-toe,  and  then  flung,  or 
let  down,  supine  into  the  water  (usually  thrice  in  succession),  and  was  counted 
guilty  on  failure  to  sink  wholly  under  the  water.  \  The  theory  was  that  the  pure 
element  refused  to  receive  a  witch  into  its  bosom  or  that  dealing  with  Satan  made 
the  witch  too  light  to  sink — reputed  phenomena  which  found  many  explanations. 
Rejected  by  the  majority,  both  of  jurists  and  theologians,  the  practice  eventually 
lived  on  only  as  an  illegal  procedure  of  the  mob.     In  pages  not  here  reprinted 
Increase  Mather  discusses  it  and  sharply  condemns  it  as  superstitiousQ 

4  This  case  was  reported  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  Willard  (1640-1707),  who  had 
witnessed  it  as  pastor  at  Groton,  but  who  from  1678  to  his  death  was  the  eminent 


22  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1671 

(one  Elizabeth  Knap)1  who  in  the  Moneth  of  October,  Anno 
1671,  was  taken  after  a  very  strange  manner,  sometimes  weep- 
ing, sometimes  laughing,  sometimes  roaring  hideously,  with 
violent  motions  and  agitations  of  her  body,  crying  out  Money, 
Money,  etc.  In  November  following,  her  Tongue  for  many 
hours  together  was  drawn  like  a  semicircle  up  to  the  roof  of 
her  Mouth,  not  to  be  removed,  though  some  tried  with  their 
fingers  to  do  it.  Six  Men  were  scarce  able  to  hold  her  in 
some  of  her  fits,  but  she  would  skip  about  the  House  yelling 
and  looking  with  a  most  frightful  Aspect.  December  17,  Her 
Tongue  was  drawn  out  of  her  mouth  to  an  extraordinary 
length;  and  now  a  Daemon  began  manifestly  to  speak  in  her. 
Many  words  were  uttered  wherein  are  the  Labial  Letters, 
without  any  motion  of  her  Lips,  which  was  a  clear  demon- 
stration that  the  voice  was  not  her  own.  Sometimes  Words 
were  spoken  seeming  to  proceed  out  of  her  throat,  when  her 
Mouth  was  shut.  Sometimes  with  her  Mouth  wide  open, 
without  the  use  of  any  of  the  Organs  of  speech.  The  things 
then  uttered  by  the  Devil  were  chiefly  Railings  and  Revil- 
ings  of  Mr.  Willard  (who  was  at  that  time  a  Worthy  and 
Faithful  Pastor  to  the  Church  in  Groton.)  Also  the  Daemon 
belched  forth  most  horrid  and  nefandous  Blasphemies,  exalt- 
ing himself  above  the  most  High.  After  this  she  was  taken 
speechless  for  some  tune.  One  thing  more  is  worthy  of  Re- 
mark concerning  this  miserable  creature.  She  cried  out  in 
some  of  her  Fits,  that  a  Woman,  (one  of  her  Neighbours) 
appeared  to  her,  and  was  the  cause  of  her  Affliction.  The 
Person  thus  accused  was  a  very  sincere,  holy  Woman,  who 
did  hereupon  with  the  Advice  of  Friends  visit  the  poor  Wretch; 
and  though  she  was  in  one  of  her  Fits,  having  her  Eyes  shut, 

minister  of  the  Old  South  Church  in  Boston.  The  exceedingly  minute  and  exact 
account  is  not  a  letter  to  Mather,  but  an  inclosure  in  one,  and  is  clearly  a  contem- 
porary journal  completed  in  January,  1672,  when  the  episode  was  barely  at  an 
end.  It  is  printed  in  full  in  the  Mather  Papers  (Mass.  Hist.  Soc.,  Collections, 
fourth  series,  VIII.)  at  pp.  555-570,  and  with  yet  greater  care  by  Dr.  S.  A.  Green, 
in  his  Groton  in  the  Witchcraft  Times  (Groton,  1883),  pp.  7-21.  No  document  is 
more  fundamental  to  the  study  of  New  England  witchcraft.  Mather's  brief 
summary  is  but  a  hint  of  its  contents;  but  he  must  have  used  other  sources  as 
well  (perhaps  a  lost  letter  of  inclosure  and  doubtless  Willard 's  sermon  on  the 
subject,  printed  in  1673  with  others  in  his  Useful  Instructions). 
1A.  girl  of  sixteen — born  April  21,  1655  (Green,  Groton,  p.  6). 


1679]        I.  MATHER,  REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES  23 

when  the  innocent  person  impeached  by  her  came  in;  yet 
could  she  (so  powerful  were  Satans  Operations  upon  her)  de- 
clare who  was  there,  and  could  tell  the  touch  of  that  Woman 
from  any  ones  else.  But  the  gracious  Party  thus  accused  and 
abused  by  a  malicious  Devil,  Prayed  earnestly  with  and  for 
the  Possessed  creature;  after  which  she  confessed  that  Satan 
had  deluded  her,  making  her  believe  evil  of  her  good  Neigh- 
bour without  any  cause.  Nor  did  she  after  that  complain  of 
any  Apparition  or  Disturbance  from  such  an  one.1  Yea,  she 
said,  that  the  Devil  had  himself  in  the  likeness  and  shape 
of  divers  tormented  her,  and  then  told  her  it  was  not  he  but 
they  that  did  it. 

As  there  have  been  several  Persons  vexed  with  evil  Spirits, 
so  divers  Houses  have  been  wofully  Haunted  by  them.  In 
the  Year  1679,  the  House  of  William  Morse  in  Newberry2  in 
New-England,  was  strangely  disquieted  by  a  Daemon.  After 
those  troubles  began,  he  did  by  the  Advice  of  Friends  write 
down  the  particulars  of  those  unusual  Accidents.  And  the 
Account  which  he  giveth  thereof  is  as  followeth; 

On  December  3,  in  the  night  time,  he  and  his  Wife  heard 
a  noise  upon  the  roof  of  their  House,  as  if  Sticks  and  Stones 
had  been  thrown  against  it  with  great  violence;  whereupon 
he  rose  out  of  his  Bed,  but  could  see  nothing.  Locking  the 
Doors  fast,  he  returned  to  Bed  again.  About  midnight  they 
heard  an  Hog  making  a  great  noise  in  the  House,  so  that  the 
Man  rose  again,  and  found  a  great  Hog  in  the  house,  the  door 
being  shut,  but  upon  the  opening  of  the  door  it  ran  out. 

On  December  8,  in  the  Morning,  there  were  five  great 
Stones  and  Bricks  by  an  invisible  hand  thrown  in  at  the  west 

1  Very  different  as  to  this  kernel  of  the  story  is  Willard's  MS. :  "She  declared 
that  if  the  party  were  apprehended  shee  should  forthwith  bee  well,  but  never  till 
then;  whereupon  her  father  went,  and  procured  the  coming  of  the  woman  im- 
peached by  her,  who  came  downe  to  her  on  Thursday  night,  where  (being  desired 
to  be  present)  I  observed  that  she  was  violently  handled,  and  lamentably  tor- 
mented by  the  adversarye,  and  uttered  unusual  shriekes  at  the  instant  of  the  per- 
sons coming  in,  though  her  eyes  were  fast  closed :  but  having  experience  of  such 
former  actings,  wee  made  nothing  of  it,  but  waited  the  issue :  God  therefore  was 
sought  to,  to  signifye  something  whereby  the  innocent  might  bee  acquitted,  or 
the  guilty  discovered,  and  hee  answered  our  prayers,  for  by  2  evident  and  cleere 
mistakes  she  was  cleered,  and  then  all  prejudices  ceased,  and  she  never  more  to 
this  day  hath  impeached  her  of  any  apparition." 

z  Newbury. 


iM  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1679 

end  of  the  house  while  the  Mans  Wife  was  making  the  Bed, 
the  Bedstead  was  lifted  up  from  the  floor,  and  the  Bedstaff l 
flung  out  of  the  Window,  and  a  Cat  was  hurled  at  her;  a 
long  Staff  danced  up  and  down  in  the  Chimney;  a  burnt 
Brick,  and  a  piece  of  a  weatherboard  were  thrown  in  at  the 
Window:  The  Man  at  his  going  to  Bed  put  out  his  Lamp, 
but  in  the  Morning  found  that  the  Saveall  of  it  was  taken 
away,  and  yet  it  was  unaccountably  brought  into  its  former 
place.2  On  the  same  day,  the  long  Staff  but  now  spoken 
of,  was  hang'd  up  by  a  line,  and  swung  to  and  fro,  the  Man's 
Wife  laid  it  in  the  fire,  but  she  could  not  hold  it  there,  inas- 
much as  it  would  forcibly  fly  out;  yet  after  much  ado  with 
joynt  strength  they  made  it  to  burn.  A  shingle  flew  from  the 
Window,  though  no  body  near  it,  many  sticks  came  in  at  the 
same  place,  only  one  of  these  was  so  scragged  that  it  could 
enter  the  hole  but  a  little  way,  whereupon  the  Man  pusht  it 
out,  a  great  Rail  likewise  was  thrust  in  at  the  Window,  so  as 
to  break  the  Glass. 

At  another  time  an  Iron  Crook  that  was  hanged  on  a 
Nail  violently  flew  up  and  down,  also  a  Chair  flew  about,  and 
at  last  lighted  on  the  Table  where  Victuals  stood  ready  for 
them  to  eat,  and  was  likely  to  spoil  all,  only  by  a  nimble 
catching  they  saved  some  of  their  Meal  with  the  loss  of  the 
rest,  and  the  overturning  of  their  Table. 

People  were  sometimes  Barricado'd  out  of  doors,  when 
as  yet  there  was  no  body  to  do  it :  and  a  Chest  was  removed 
from  place  to  place,  no  hand  touching  it.  Their  Keys  being 
tied  together,  one  was  taken  from  the  rest,  and  the  remain- 
ing two  would  fly  about  making  a  loud  noise  by  knocking 
against  each  other.  But  the  greatest  part  of  this  Devils  feats 
were  his  mischievous  ones,  wherein  indeed  he  was  sometimes 
Antick  enough  too,  and  therein  the  chief  sufferers  were,  the 
Man  and  his  Wife,  and  his  Grand-Son.  The  Man  especially 
had  his  share  in  these  Diabolical  Molestations.  For  one  while 

1  A  "bedstaff "  was  a  stick  used  to  help  in  making  a  bed  which  stood  in  a 
recess,  and  the  same  name  was  given  to  the  stick  then  fixed  to  the  side  of  a  bed 
to  keep  the  bed-clothes  from  falling  off:  doubtless  the  same  staff  served  both 
purposes.  Later  in  this  account  we  shall  find  it  called  a  "bed-board":  at  least 
Cotton  Mather,  repeating  the  tale  in  his  Magnolia,  identifies  the  two. 

1  The  "lamp"  was  of  course  a  candle,  and  the  "saveall"  was  a  contrivance 
at  the  base  enabling  the  wick  to  burn  to  the  very  bottom  without  waste. 


1680]        I.  MATHER,  REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES  25 

they  could  not  eat  their  Suppers  quietly,  but  had  the  Ashes 
on  the  Hearth  before  their  eyes  thrown  into  their  Victuals; 
yea,  and  upon  their  heads  and  Clothes,  insomuch  that  they 
were  forced  up  into  their  Chamber,  and  yet  they  had  no 
rest  there;  for  one  of  the  Man's  Shoes  being  left  below,  'twas 
filled  with  Ashes  and  Coals,  and  thrown  up  after  them.  Their 
Light  was  beaten  out,  and  they  being  laid  in  their  Bed  with 
their  little  Boy  between  them,  a  great  stone  (from  the  Floor 
of  the  Loft)  weighing  above  three  pounds  was  thrown  upon 
the  mans  stomach,  and  he  turning  it  down  upon  the  floor, 
it  was  once  more  thrown  upon  him.  A  Box  and  a  Board 
were  likewise  thrown  upon  them  all.  And  a  Bag  of  Hops 
was  taken  out  of  their  Chest,  wherewith  they  were  beaten, 
till  some  of  the  Hops  were  scattered  on  the  floor,  where  the 
Bag  was  then  laid,  and  left. 

In  another  Evening,  when  they  sat  by  the  fire,  the  Ashes 
were  so  whirled  at  them,  that  they  could  neither  eat  their 
Meat,  nor  endure  the  House.  A  Peel1  struck  the  Man  in  the 
face.  An  Apron  hanging  by  the  fire  was  flung  upon  it,  and 
singed  before  they  could  snatch  it  off.  The  Man  being  at 
Prayer  with  his  Family,  a  Beesom2  gave  him  a  blow  on  his 
head  behind,  and  fell  down  before  his  face. 

On  another  day,  when  they  were  Winnowing  of  Barley, 
some  hard  dirt  was  thrown  in,  hitting  the  Man  on  the  Head, 
and  both  the  Man  and  his  Wife  on  the  back;  and  when  they 
had  made  themselves  clean,  they  essayed  to  fill  their  half 
Bushel  but  the  foul  Corn  was  in  spite  of  them  often  cast 
in  amongst  the  clean,  and  the  Man  being  divers  times  thus 
abused  was  forced  to  give  over  what  he  was  about. 

On  January  23  (in  particular)  the  Man  had  an  iron  Pin 
twice  thrown  at  him,  and  his  Inkhorn  was  taken  away  from 
him  while  he  was  writing,  and  when  by  all  his  seeking  it  he 
could  not  find  it,  at  last  he  saw  it  drop  out  of  the  Air,  down 
by  the  fire:  a  piece  of  Leather  was  twice  thrown  at  him; 
and  a  shoe  was  laid  upon  his  shoulder,  which  he  catching  at, 
was  suddenly  rapt  from  him.  An  handful  of  Ashes  was 
thrown  at  his  face,  and  upon  his  clothes:  and  the  shoe  was 

1 A  fire-shovel;  or  a  similar  implement  for  getting  things  into  an  oven  or 
»ut  of  it. 

2  A  broom. 


26  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1680 

then  clapt  upon  his  head,  and  upon  it  he  clapt  his  hand, 
holding  it  so  fast,  that  somewhat  unseen  pulled  him  with  it 
backward  on  the  floor. 

On  the  next  day  at  night,  as  they  were  going  to  Bed,  a 
lost  Ladder  was  thrown  against  the  Door,  and  their  Light 
put  out;  and  when  the  Man  was  a  bed,  he  was  beaten  with  an 
heavy  pair  of  Leather  Breeches,  and  pull'd  by  the  Hair  of  his 
Head  and  Beard,  Pinched  and  Scratched,  and  his  Bed-board1 
was  taken  away  from  him;  yet  more  in  the  next  night,  when 
the  Man  was  likewise  a  Bed;  his  Bed-board  did  rise  out  of 
its  place,  notwithstanding  his  putting  forth  all  his  strength 
to  keep  it  in;  one  of  his  Awls2  was  brought  out  of  the  next 
room  into  his  Bed,  and  did  prick  him;  the  clothes  wherewith 
he  hoped  to  save  his  head  from  blows  were  violently  pluckt 
from  thence.  Within  a  night  or  two  after,  the  Man  and  his 
Wife  received  both  of  them  a  blow  upon  their  heads,  but  it 
was  so  dark  that  they  could  not  see  the  stone  which  gave  it; 
the  Man  had  his  Cap  pulled  off  from  his  head  while  he  sat 
by  the  fire. 

The  night  following,  they  went  to  bed  undressed,  because 
of  their  late  disturbances,  and  the  Man,  WTife,  Boy,  presently 
felt  themselves  pricked,  and  upon  search  found  in  the  Bed  a 
Bodkin,  a  knitting  Needle,  and  two  sticks  picked3  at  both 
ends.  He  received  also  a  great  blow,  as  on  his  Thigh,  so  on 
his  Face,  which  fetched  blood:  and  while  he  was  writing  a 
Candlestick  was  twice  thrown  at  him,  and  a  great  piece  of 
Bark  fiercely  smote  him,  and  a  pail  of  Water  turned  up  with- 
out hands.  |0n  the  28  of  the  mentioned  Moneth,  frozen  clods 
of  Cow-dung  were  divers  times  thrown  at  the  man  out  of 
the  house  in  which  they  were;  his  Wife  went  to  milk  the 
Cow,  and  received  a  blow  on  her  head,  and  sitting  down  at 
her  Milking-work  had  Cow-dung  divers  times  thrown  into  her 
Pail,  the  Man  tried  to  save  the  Milk,  by  holding  a  Piggin4 
side-wayes  under  the  Cowes  belly,  but  the  Dung  would  in 
for  all,  and  the  Milk  was  only  made  fit  for  Hogs.  On  that 
night  ashes  were  thrown  into  the  porridge  which  they  had 
made  ready  for  their  Supper,  so  as  that  they  could  not  eat 

1  See  p.  24,  note  1.  *  Morse  was  a  shoemaker. 

1  Pointed,  sharpened. 

'  A  small  wooden  pail,  with  one  stave  long,  to  serve  as  a  handle. 


1680]        I.  MATHER,  REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES  27 

it;  Ashes  were  likewise  often  thrown  into  the  Man's  Eyes, 
as  he  sat  by  the  fire.  And  an  iron  Hammer  flying  at  him, 
gave  him  a  great  blow  on  his  back;  the  Man's  Wife  going  into 
the  Cellar  for  Beer,  a  great  iron  Peel1  flew  and  fell  after 
her  through  the  trap-door  of  the  Cellar;  and  going  after- 
wards on  the  same  Errand  to  the  same  place,  the  door  shut 
down  upon  her,  and  the  Table  came  and  lay  upon  the  door, 
and  the  man  was  forced  to  remove  it  e're  his  Wife  could  be 
released  from  where  she  was;  on  the  following  day  while  he 
was  Writing,  a  dish  went  out  of  its  place,  leapt  into  the  pale, 
and  cast  Water  upon  the  Man,  his  Paper,  his  Table,  and  dis- 
appointed his  procedure  in  what  he  was  about ;  his  Cap  jumpt 
off  from  his  head,  and  on  again,  and  the  Pot-lid  leapt  off  from 
the  Pot  into  the  Kettle  on  the  fire. 

February  2.  While  he  and  his  Boy  were  eating  of  Cheese, 
the  pieces  which  he  cut  were  wrested  from  them,  but  they 
were  afterwards  found  upon  the  Table  under  an  Apron,  and 
a  pair  of  Breeches:  And  also  from  the  fire  arose  little  sticks 
and  Ashes,  which  flying  upon  the  Man  and  his  Boy,  brought 
them  into  an  uncomfortable  pickle;  But  as  for  the  Boy,  which 
the  last  passage  spoke  of,  there  remains  much  to  be  said 
concerning  him,  and  a  principal  sufferer  in  these  afflictions: 
For  on  the  18  of  December,  he  sitting  by  his  Grandfather, 
was  hurried  into  great  motions  and  the  Man  thereupon  took 
him,  and  made  him  stand  between  his  Legs,  but  the  Chair 
danced  up  and  down,  and  had  like  to  have  cast  both  Man 
and  Boy  into  the  fire:  and  the  Child  was  afterwards  flung 
about  in  such  a  manner,  as  that  they  feared  that  his  Brains 
would  have  been  beaten  out;  and  in  the  evening  he  was 
tossed  as  afore,  and  the  Man  tried  the  project  of  holding 
him,  but  ineffectually.  The  Lad  was  soon  put  to  Bed,  and 
they  presently  heard  an  huge  noise,  and  demanded  what  was 
the  matter?  and  he  answered  that  his  Bed-stead  leaped  up  and 
down :  and  they  (i.¥e.  the  Man  and  his  Wife)  went  upr  and 
at  first  found  all  quiet,  but  before  they  had  been  there  long, 
they  saw  the  Board2  by  his  Bed  trembling  by  him,  and  the 
Bed-clothes  flying  off  him,  the  latter  they  laid  on  immediately, 
but  they  were  no  sooner  on  than  off;  so  they  took  him  out 
of  his  Bed  for  quietness. 

1  See  p.  25,  note  1.  2  See  p.  24,  note  1. 


28  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1679 

December  29.  The  Boy  was  violently  thrown  to  and  fro, 
only  they  carried  him  to  the  house  of  a  Doctor  in  the  Town, 
and  there  he  was  free  from  disturbances,  but  returning  home 
at  night,  his  former  trouble  began,  and  the  Man  taking  him 
by  the  hand,  they  were  both  of  them  almost  tript  into  the 
fire.  They  put  him  to  bed,  and  he  was  attended  with  the 
same  iterated  loss  of  his  clothes,  shaking  off  his  Bed-board, 
and  Noises,  that  he  had  in  his  last  conflict;  they  took  him 
up,  designing  to  sit  by  the  fire,  but  the  doors  clattered,  and 
the  Chair  was  thrown  at  him,  wherefore  they  carried  him 
to  the  Doctors  house,  and  so  for  that  night  all  was  well.  The 
next  morning  he  came  home  quiet,  but  as  they  were  doing 
somewhat,  he  cried  out  that  he  was  prickt  on  the  back,  they 
looked,  and  found  a  three-tin'd  Fork  sticking  strangely  there; 
which  being  carried  to  the  Doctors  house,  not  only  the  Doc- 
tor himself  said  that  it  was  his,  but  also  the  Doctors  Servant 
affirmed  it  was  seen  at  home  after  the  Boy  was  gone.  The 
Boys  vexations  continuing,  they  left  him  at  the  Doctors, 
where  he  remained  well  till  awhile  after,  and  then  he  com- 
plained he  was  pricked,  they  looked  and  found  an  iron  Spindle 
sticking  below  his  back;  he  complained  he  was  pricked  still, 
they  looked,  and  found  Pins  in  a  Paper  sticking  to  his  skin; 
he  once  more  complained  of  his  Back,  they  looked,  and  found 
there  a  long  Iron,  a  bowl  of  a  Spoon,  and  a  piece  of  a  Pan- 
sheard.  They  lay  down  by  him  on  the  Bed,  with  the  Light 
burning,  but  he  was  twice  thrown  from  them,  and  the  second 
time  thrown  quite  under  the  Bed;  in  the  Morning  the  Bed 
was  tossed  about  with  such  a  creaking  noise,  as  was  heard 
to  the  Neighbours;  in  the  afternoon  their  knives  were  one 
after  another  brought,  and  put  into  his  back,  but  pulled  out 
by  the  Spectators;  only  one  knife  which  was  missing  seemed 
to  the  standers  by  to  come  out  of  his  Mouth :  he  was  bidden 
to  read  his  Book,  was  taken  and  thrown  about  several  times, 
at  last  hitting  the  Boys  Grandmother  on  the  head.  Another 
time  he  was  thrust  out  of  his  Chair  and  rolled  up  and  down 
with  out  cries,  that  all  things  were  on  fire;  yea,  he  was  three 
times  very  dangerously  thrown  into  the  fire,  and  preserved 
by  his  Friends  with  much  ado.  The  Boy  also  made  for  a 
long  time  together  a  noise  like  a  Dog,  and  like  an  Hen  with 
her  Chickens,  and  could  not  speak  rationally. 


1680]        I.  MATHER,   REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES  29 

Particularly,  on  December  26.  He  barked  like  a  Dog,  and 
clock't  like  an  Hen,  and  after  long  distraining  to  speak,  said, 
there's  Powel,  I  am  pinched;  his  Tongue  likewise  hung  out 
of  his  mouth,  so  as  that  it  could  by  no  means  be  forced  in  till 
his  Fit  was  over,  and  then  he  said  'twas  forced  out  by  Powel.1 
He  and  the  house  also  after  this  had  rest  till  the  ninth  of 
January :  at  which  time  because  of  his  intolerable  ravings,  and 
because  the  Child  King  between  the  Man  and  his  Wife,  was 
pulled  out  of  Bed,  and  knockt  so  vehemently  against  the  Bed- 
stead Boards,2  in  a  manner  very  perillous  and  amazing.  In 
the  Day  time  he  was  carried  away  beyond  all  possibility  of 
their  finding  him.  His  Grandmother  at  last  saw  him  creep- 
ing on  one  side,  and  drag'd  him  in,  where  he  lay  miserable 
lame,  but  recovering  his  speech,  he  said,  that  he  was  carried 
above  the  Doctors  house,  and  that  Powel  carried  him,  and 
that  the  said  Powel  had  him  into  the  Barn,  throwing  him 
against  the  Cart-wheel  there,  and  then  thrusting  him  out  at 
an  hole;  and  accordingly  they  found  some  of  the  Remainders 
of  the  Threshed  Barley  which  was  on  the  Barn-floor  hanging 
to  his  Clothes. 

At  another  time  he  fell  into  a  Swoon,  they  forced  some- 
what Refreshing  into  his  mouth,  and  it  was  turned  out  as  fast 
as  they  put  it  in;  e're  long  he  came  to  himself,  and  expressed 
some  willingness  to  eat;  but  the  Meat  would  forcibly  fly  out 
of  his  mouth;  and  when  he  was  able  to  speak,  he  said  Powel 
would  not  let  him  eat :  Having  found  the  Boy  to  be  best  at  a 
Neighbours  house,  the  Man  carried  him  to  his  Daughters, 
three  miles  from  his  own.  The  Boy  was  growing  antick  as 
he  was  on  the  Journey,  but  before  the  end  of  it  he  made  a 
grievous  hollowing,  and  when  he  lighted,  he  threw  a  great 
stone  at  a  Maid  in  the  house,  and  fell  on  eating  of  Ashes. 
Being  at  home  afterwards,  they  had  rest  awhile,  but  on  the 
19  of  January  in  the  Morning  he  swooned,  and  coming  to 
himself,  he  roared  terribly,  and  did  eat  Ashes,  Sticks,  Rug- 
yarn.  The  Morning  following,  there  was  such  a  racket  with 

1This  sentence  is  clearly  of  the  nature  of  an  interpolation;  for  the  "rest" 
mentioned  in  the  following  clause  must  date  from  the  events  narrated  in  the 
preceding  paragraph.  The  "Powel"  meant  was  of  course  Caleb  Powell — see 
p.  31,  note  1. 

1  See  p.  24,  note  1 ;  yet  head-board  and  foot-board  may  here  be  meant. 


30  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1680 

the  Boy,  that  the  Man  and  his  Wife  took  him  to  Bed  to  them. 
A  Bed-staff  was  thereupon  thrown  at  them,  and  a  Chamber 
pot  with  its  Contents  was  thrown  upon  them,  and  they  were 
severely  pinched.  The  Man  being  about  to  rise,  his  Clothes 
were  divers  times  pulled  from  them,  himself  thrust  out  of  his 
Bed,  and  his  Pillow  thrown  after  him.  The  Lad  also  would 
have  his  clothes  plucked  off  from  him  in  these  Winter  Nights, 
and  was  wofully  dogg'd  with  such  fruits  of  Devilish  spite, 
till  it  pleased  God  to  shorten  the  Chain  of  the  wicked  Dae- 
mon. 

All  this  while  the  Devil  did  not  use  to  appear  in  any  visible 
shape,  only  they  would  think  they  had  hold  of  the  Hand  that 
sometimes  scratched  them;  but  it  would  give  them  the  slip. 
And  once  the  Man  was  discernably  beaten  by  a  Fist,  and  an 
Hand  got  hold  of  his  Wrist  which  he  saw,  but  could  not  catch; 
and  the  likeness  of  a  Blackmore1  Child  did  appear  from  under 
the  Rugg  and  Blanket,  where  the  Man  lay,  and  it  would  rise 
up,  fall  down,  nod  and  slip  under  the  clothes  when  they  en- 
deavoured to  clasp  it,  never  speaking  any  thing. 

Neither  were  there  many  Words  spoken  by  Satan  all  this 
time,  only  once  having  put  out  their  Light,  they  heard  a 
scraping  on  the  Boards,  and  then  a  Piping  and  Drumming 
on  them,  which  was  followed  with  a  Voice,  singing,  Revenge! 
Revenge!  Sweet  is  Revenge!  And  they  being  well  terrified 
with  it,  called  upon  God ;  the  issue  of  which  was,  that  suddenly 
with  a  mournful  Note,  there  were  six  times  over  uttered  such 
expressions  as,  Alas!  Alas!  me  knock  no  more!  me  knock  no 
more!  and  now  all  ceased. 

The  Man  does  moreover  affirm,  that  a  Seaman  (being  a 
Mate  of  a  Ship)  coming  often  to  visit  him,  told  him  that  they 
wronged  his  Wife  who  suspected  her  to  be  guilty  of  Witch- 
craft; and  that  the  Boy  (his  Grandchild)  was  the  cause  of 
this  trouble;  and  that  if  he  would  let  him  have  the  Boy  one 
day,  he  would  warrant  him  his  house  should  be  no  more 
troubled  as  it  had  been;  to  which  motion  he  consented.  The 
Mate  came  the  next  day  betimes,  and  the  Boy  was  with  him 
until  night;  after  which  his  house  he  saith  was  not  for  some 
time  molested  with  evil  Spirits. 

Thus  far  is  the  Relation  concerning  the  Daemon  at  William 

1  Blackamoor,  negro. 


1680]        I.  MATHER,  REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES  31 

Morse  his  House  in  Newbery.1  The  true  Reason  of  these 
strange  disturbances  is  as  yet  not  certainly  known :  some  (as 
has  been  hinted)  did  suspect  Morse's  Wife  to  be  guilty  of 
Witchcraft. 

One  of  the  Neighbours  took  Apples  which  were  brought 
out  of  that  house  and  put  them  into  the  fire;  upon  which  they 
say,  their  houses  were  much  disturbed.  Another  of  the  Neigh- 
bours, caused  an  Horse-shoe  to  be  nailed  before  the  doors, 
and  as  long  as  it  remained  so,  they  could  not  perswade  the 
suspected  person  to  go  into  the  house;  but  when  the  Horse- 
shoe was  gone,  she  presently  visited  them.  I  shall  not  here_ 
inlarge  upon  the  vanity  and  superstition  of  those  Experiments, 

1  This  "relation"  was  undoubtedly  received  from  the  Rev.  Joshua  Moodey, 
then  minister  at  Portsmouth,  in  a  letter  of  August  23,  1683  (Mather  Papers, 
pp.  361-362);  for  a  postscript  speaks  of  its  enclosure  and  says  that  he  had  it 
from  William  Morse  himself.  That  Morse  was  its  author  we  know  only  from 
Mather.  Happily,  there  exist  also  many  documents  of  the  two  witch-trials 
arising  from  the  affair — those  of  Caleb  Powell  and  Mrs.  Morse.  Some  of  these, 
preserved  in  the  court  records  at  Salem,  were  printed  by  Joshua  Coffin  in  his 
History  of  Newbury  (Boston,  1845),  at  pp.  122-134;  and  again,  more  carefully, 
with  others,  by  W.  E.  Woodward  in  his  Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft  (Boston,  1864), 
II.  251-261.  Others,  which  had  strayed  from  public  keeping,  were  published  by 
S.  G.  Drake,  then  their  owner,  in  an  appendix  (pp.  258-296)  to  his  Annals  of 
Witchcraft  (Bosten,  1869),  in  which  he  summarizes  the  story  (pp.  141-150). 
Two  (her  conviction  at  Boston  and  her  release)  have  been  printed  in  the  Records 
of  the  Court  of  Assistants,  I.  (Boston,  1901),  pp.  159,  189-190.  Others  still  are 
in  the  Massachusetts  archives  (vol.  CXXXV.,  fol.  11-19),  where  they  have  been 
used  by  Mr.  W.  F.  Poole  (see,  in  the  N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen.  Register,  XXIV.,  his 
note,  p.  386,  to  an  unpublished  draft  of  Governor  Hutchinson's  account).  These 
documents  supplement,  and  sometimes  correct,  the  relation  of  Morse.  Thus, 
from  sworn  statements  of  December,  1679  (Coffin,  Newbury,  pp.  124,  131-133),  it 
is  clear  that  the  events  above  ascribed  to  December  3  belong  to  November  27, 
that  the  grandson's  name  was  John  Stiles,  that  the  "seaman"  who  charged  him 
with  the  mischief  was  Caleb  Powell,  that  the  day  the  boy  was  in  his  keeping  was 
December  2,  1679,  and  that  on  the  very  next  day  Morse  instituted  proceedings 
against  Powell,  who  was  indicted  for  witchcraft  on  December  8  (the  day  on  which 
the  disturbances  were  resumed)  and  was  tried  at  Ipswich  in  March.  He  succeeded 
in  clearing  himself,  but  at  the  cost  of  Goodwife  Morse.  She  was  a  midwife,  and 
had  long  been  suspected  of  witchcraft  by  some  of  her  neighbors.  Indicted  in 
March,  she  was  tried  at  Boston  in  May  before  the  magistrates  of  the  colony, 
was  found  guilty  and  sentenced  to  death,  but  was  reprieved  by  the  magistrates, 
and  in  June,  1681,  after  more  than  a  year's  imprisonment,  permitted,  though 
without  acquittal,  to  return  to  her  home,  "provided  she  goe  not  above  sixteen 
rods  from  hir  oune  house  and  land  at  any  time  except  to  the  meeting  house." 
For  the  end  of  her  pitiful  story  see  p.  412,  below. 


32  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1662 

reserving  that  for  another  place:  All  that  I  shall  say  at  pres- 
ent is,  that  the  Daemons  whom  the  blind  Gentiles  of  old  wor- 
shipped, told  their  Servants,  that  such  things  as  these  would 
very  much  affect  them;  yea,  and  that  certain  Characters, 
Signs  and  Charms  would  render  their  power  ineffectual;  and 
accordingly  they  would  become  subject,  when  their  own  di- 
rections were  obeyed.  It  is  sport  to  the  Devils  when  they 
see  silly  Men  thus  deluded  and  made  fools  of  by  them.  Others 
were  apt  to  think  that  a  Seaman1  by  some  suspected  to  be  a 
Conjurer,  set  the  Devil  on  work  thus  to  disquiet  Morse's 
Family.  Or  it  may  be  some  other  thing  as  yet  kept  hid  in 
the  secrets  of  providence  might  be  the  true  original  of  all  this 
Trouble. 

A  Disturbance  not  much  unlike  to  this  hapned  above 
twenty  years  ago,  at  an  house  in  Tedworth,  in  the  County 
of  Wilts  in  England,  which  was  by  wise  men  judged  to  pro- 
ceed from  Conjuration. 

Mr.  Mompesson  of  Tedworth  being  in  March  1661,  at  Lunger- 
shall,*  and  hearing  a  Drum  beat  there,  he  demanded  of  the  Bailiff  of 
the  Town  what  it  meant,  who  told  him,  they  had  for  some  dayes 
been  troubled  with  an  idle  Drummer,  pretending  Authority,  and  a 
Pass  under  the  hands  of  some  Gentlemen.  Mr.  Mompesson  reading 
his  Pass,  and  knowing  the  hands  of  those  Gentlemen,  whose  Names 
were  pretended  to  be  subscribed,  discovered  the  Cheat,  and  com- 
manded the  Vagrant  to  put  off  his  Drum,  and  ordered  a  Constable 
to  secure  him :  but  not  long  after  he  got  clear  of  the  Constable.  In 
April  following,  Mr  Momposson's  house  was  much  disturbed  with 
Knockings,  and  with  Drummings;  for  an  hour  together  a  Daemon 
would  beat  Round-heads  and  Cuckolds,  the  Tattoo  and  several  other 
points  of  War  as  well  as  any  Drummer.  On  November  5,  The 
Daemon  made  a  great  noise  in  the  House,  and  caused  some  Boards 
therein  to  move  to  and  fro  in  the  day  time  when  there  was  an  whole 
room  full  of  People  present.  At  his  departure,  he  left  behind  him 
a  Sulphurous  smell,  which  was  very  offensive.  The  next  night, 
Chairs  walked  up  and  down  the  Room;  the  Childrens  Shoes  were 
hurled  over  their  heads.  The  Minister  of  the  Town  being  there,  a 
Bed-staff  was  thrown  at  him,  and  hit  him  on  the  Leg,  but  without 
the  least  hurt.  In  the  latter  end  of  December,  1662,  They  heard  a 
noise  like  the  jingling  of  Money,  the  occasion  of  which  was  thought 
to  be,  some  words  spoken  the  night  before,  by  one  in  the  Family; 

1  Caleb  Powell.  *  Ludgershall. 


1683]         I.  MATHER,  REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES  33 

who  said  that  Fairies  used  to  leave  money  behind  them,  and  they 
wished  it  might  be  so  now.  In  January  Lights  were  seen  in  the 
House,  which  seemed  blue  and  glimmering,  and  caused  a  great  stiff- 
ness in  the  eyes  of  them  that  saw  them.  One  in  the  room  (by  what 
Authority  I  cannot  tell)  said,  "  Satan,  if  the  Drummer  set  thee  a  work 
give  three  knocks  and  no  more",  which  was  done  accordingly.  Once 
when  it  was  very  sharp  severe  Weather,  the  room  was  suddenly  filled 
with  a  Noisome  smell,  and  was  very  hot  though  without  fire.  This 
Daemon  would  play  some  nasty  and  many  ludicrous  foolish  tricks. 
It  would  empty  Chamber-pots  into  the  Beds;  and  fill  Porringers 
with  Ashes.  Sometimes  it  would  not  suffer  any  light  to  be  in  the 
room,  but  would  carry  them  away  up  the  Chimney.  Mr.  Mompes- 
son  coming  one  morning  into  his  Stable,  found  his  Horse  on  the 
ground,  having  one  of  his  hinder  legs  in  his  mouth,  and  so  fastened 
there,  that  it  was  difficult  for  several  men  with  a  Leaver  to  get  it 
out.  A  Smith  lodging  in  the  House,  heard  a  noise  in  the  room,  as 
if  one  had  been  shoeing  an  Horse,  and  somewhat  come  as  it  were 
with  a  Pincers  snipping  at  the  Smith's  Nose,  most  part  of  the  night. 
The  Drummer  was  under  vehement  suspicion  for  a  Conjurer.  He 
was  condemned  to  Transportation.  All  the  time  of  his  restraint  and 
absence,  the  House  was  quiet.  See  Mr.  Glanvil's  Collection  of  Mod- 
ern Relations,  P.  71,  etc.1 

But  I  proceed  to  give  an  account  of  some  other  things 
lately  hapning  in  New-England,  which  were  undoubtedly  prse- 
ternatural,  and  not  without  Diabolical  operation.  The  last 
year  did  afford  several  Instances,  not  unlike  unto  those 
which  have  been  mentioned.  For  then  Nicholas  Desborough 
of  Hartford  in  New-England  was  strangely  molested  by  stones, 
pieces  of  earth,  cobs  of  Indian  Corn,  etc.,  falling  upon  and 
about  him,  which  sometimes  came  in  through  the  door,  some- 
times through  the  Window,  sometimes  down  the  Chimney, 
at  other  times  they  seemed  to  fall  from  the  floor  of  the  Cham- 
ber, which  yet  was  very  close;  sometimes  he  met  with  them 
in  his  Shop,  the  Yard,  the  Barn,  and  in  the  Field  at  work. 
In  the  House,  such  things  hapned  frequently,  not  only  in  the 
night  but  in  the  day  time,  if  the  Man  himself  was  at  home, 
but  never  when  his  Wife  was  at  home  alone.  There  was  no 

1  This  famous  relation  was  first  printed  in  1668  as  an  appendix  to  the  third 
edition  of  Glanvill's  essay  on  witchcraft  (see  above,  pp.  5-6),  and  was  much 
enlarged  in  the  edition  of  1681.  What  is  here  printed  is  not  the  briefer  original 
form  but  an  abridgment  of  Mather's  own. 


34  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1683 

great  violence  in  the  motion,  though  several  persons  of  the 
Family  and  others  also  were  struck  with  the  things  that  were 
thrown  by  an  invisible  hand,  yet  they  were  not  hurt  thereby. 
Only  the  Man  himself  had  once  his  Arm  somewhat  pained  by 
a  blow  given  him ;  and  at  another  time,  blood  was  drawn  from 
one  of  has  Legs  by  a  scratch  given  it.  This  molestation  began 
soon  after  a  Controversie  arose  between  Desborough  and  an- 
other person,  about  a  Chest  of  Clothes  which  the  other  said 
that  Desberough  did  unrighteously  retain:  and  so  it  con- 
tinued for  some  Moneths  (though  with  several  intermissions). 
In  the  latter  end  of  the  last  year,  when  also  the  Man's  Barn 
was  burned  with  the  Corn  in  it;  but  by  what  means  it  came 
to  pass  is  not  known.  Not  long  after,  some  to  whom  the 
matter  was  referred,  ordered  Desberough  to  restore  the  Clothes 
to  the  Person  who  complained  of  wrong;  since  which  he  hath 
not  been  troubled  as  before.  Some  of  the  stones  hurled  were 
of  considerable  bigness;  one  of  them  weighed  four  pounds, 
but  generally  the  stones  were  not  great,  but  very  small  ones. 
One  time  a  piece  of  Clay  came  down  the  Chimney,  falling  on 
the  Table  which  stood  at  some  distance  from  the  Chimney. 
The  People  of  the  House  threw  it  on  the  Hearth,  where  it 
lay  a  considerable  time:  they  went  to  their  Supper,  and 
whilest  at  their  Supper,  the  piece  of  Clay  was  lifted  up  by  an 
invisible  hand,  and  fell  upon  the  Table;  taking  it  up,  they 
found  it  hot,  having  lain  so  long  before  the  fire,  as  to  cause 
it  to  be  hot.1 

Another  Providence  no  less  Remarkable  than  this  last 
mentioned,  hapned  at  Portsmouth  in  New-England,  about 
the  same  time :  concerning  which  I  have  received  the  follow- 
ing account  from  a  Worthy  hand.2 

1  These  experiences  of  Nicholas  Desborough  were  reported  by  the  Rev. 
John  Russell,  of  Hadley,  in  a  letter  of  August  2,  1683,  which  may  be  found  in  the 
Mather  Papers  (pp.  86-88).  Russell  says  he  received  the  account  from  "Capt. 
Allyn,  a  neer  neighbour  to  Disborough."  John  Allyn,  long  secretary  of  the 
colony,  was  one  of  the  foremost  men  in  Connecticut. 

1  The  "worthy  hand"  was  again  that  of  the  Rev.  Joshua  Moodey,  of  Ports- 
mouth. His  earliest  letter  about  the  matter  does  not  appear  in  the  Mather 
Papers;  but  in  a  later  one  (July  14,  1683 — Mather  Papers,  pp.  359-360)  he  writes 
thus :  "About  that  at  G.  Walton's;  because  my  Interest  runs  low  with  the  Secre- 
tary, I  have  desired  Mr.  Woodbridge  to  endeavour  the  obtaining  it,  and  if  I  can 
get  it  shall  send  it  per  the  first;  Though  if  there  should  bee  any  difficulty  there- 


1682]        I.  MATHER,  REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES  35 

On  June  11,  1682,  Being  the  Lords  Day,  at  night  showers  of 
stones  were  thrown  both  against  the  sides  and  roof  of  the  house  of 
George  Walton:1  some  of  the  People  went  abroad,  found  the  Gate 
at  some  distance  from  the  house,  wrung  off  the  Hinges,  and  stones 
came  thick  about  them:  sometimes  falling  down  by  them,  some- 
times touching  them  without  any  hurt  done  to  them,  though  they 
seemed  to  come  with  great  force,  yet  did  no  more  but  softly  touch 
them;  Stones  flying  about  the  room  the  Doors  being  shut.  The 
Glass-Windows  shattered  to  pieces  by  stones  that  seemed  to  come 
not  from  without  but  within;  the  Lead  of  the  Glass  Casements, 
Window-Bars,  etc.  being  driven  forcibly  outwards,  and  so  standing 
bent.  While  the  Secretary2  was  walking  in  the  room  a  great  Ham- 
mer came  brushing  along  against  the  Chamber  floor  that  was  over 
his  head,  and  fell  down  by  him.  A  Candlestick  beaten  off  the  Table. 
They  took  up  nine  of  the  stones  and  marked  them,  and  laid  them  on 
the  Table,  some  of  them  being  as  hot  as  if  they  came  out  of  the  fire; 
but  some  of  those  mark't  stones  were  found  flying  about  again.  In 
this  manner,  about  four  hours  space  that  night :  The  Secretary  then 
went  to  bed,  but  a  stone  came  and  broke  up  his  Chamber-door,  being 
put  to  (not  lockt),  a  Brick  was  sent  upon  the  like  Errand.  The 
abovesaid  Stone  the  Secretary  lockt  up  in  his  Chamber,  but  it  was 

about,  you  may  doe  pretty  well  with  what  you  have  already."  And  writing 
again  on  August  23  (Mather  Papers,  pp.  360-361),  he  says  his  endeavors  have  not 
been  wanting  to  obtain  it,  but  he  finds  it  difficult.  "If  more  may  bee  gotten, 
you  may  expect  when  I  come,  or  else  must  take  up  with  what  you  had  from 
mee  at  first,  which  was  the  summe  of  what  was  then  worthy  of  notice,  only  many 
other  particular  actings  of  like  nature  had  been  then  and  since.  It  began  of  a 
Lord's  day,  June  llth,  1682,  and  so  continued  for  a  long  time,  only  there  was 
some  respite  now  and  then.  The  last  sight  I  have  heard  of  was  the  carrying  away 
of  severall  Axes  in  the  night,  notwithstanding  they  were  laied  up,  yea,  lockt  up 
very  safe,  as  the  owner  thought  at  least,  which  was  done  this  spring."  The 
"Secretary"  (i.  e.,  of  the  province)  was  that  Richard  Chamberlain  from  whose 
own  pen  we  have  the  fuller  account  of  the  episode  printed  later  in  this  volume 
(pp.  58-77) ;  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  what  Mather  gave  to  the  press 
rests  on  the  basis  of  his  journal.  As  to  "Mr.  Woodbridge"  see  p.  65,  note  1. 

1  Walton  (1615-1686)  was  a  prosperous  Quaker.     "George  Walton,  and  his 
wife  Alice,  and  Daughter,  Abishag  .  .  .  lived  on  the  great  Island  in  Piscataqua, 
and  this  Alice  was  one  of  the  most  accounted  of  the  Women,  for  Profession  in  the 
Island,  whom  it  troubled  them  to  lose;   but  Truth  took  her,  and  overturned  the 
Priest."     (Bishop,  New-England  Judged,  pp.  466-467.)     Great  Island  (now  New- 
castle), then  a  part  of  the  township  of  Portsmouth,  was  often  the  seat  of  the 
provincial   government,  and  the  secretary  lodged  at  Walton's  house.     As  to 
Walton's  family  and  estate  see  his  will  (Probate  Records  of  the  Province  of  New 
Hampshire,  I.  299,  and  N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen.  Register,  IX.  57). 

2  Richard  Chamberlain,  secretary  of  the  province.     See  preceding  notes. 


36  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1682 

fetched  out,  and  carried  with  great  noise  into  the  next  Chamber. 
The  Spit  was  carried  up  Chimney,  and  came  down  with  the  point 
forward,  and  stuck  in  the  Back-log,  and  being  removed  by  one  of 
the  Company  to  one  side  of  the  Chimney,  was  by  an  unseen  hand 
thrown  out  at  Window.  This  trade  was  driven  on  the  next  day, 
and  so  from  Day  to  Day,  now  and  then  there  would  be  some  inter- 
mission, and  then  to  it  again.  The  stones  were  most  frequent  where 
the  Master  of  the  house  was,  whether  in  the  Field  or  Barn,  etc.  A 
black  Cat  was  seen  once  while  the  Stones  came  and  was  shot  at,  but 
she  was  too  nimble  for  them.  Some  of  the  Family  say,  that  they 
once  saw  the  appearance  of  an  hand  put  forth  at  the  Hall  Window, 
throwing  stones  towards  the  Entry,  though  there  was  no  body  in 
the  Hall  the  while :  sometimes  a  dismal  hollow  whistling  would  be 
heard;  sometimes  the  noise  of  the  trotting  of  an  horse,  and  snorting 
but  nothing  seen.  The  Man  went  up  the  great  Bay  in  his  Boat  to 
a  Farm  he  had  there,  and  while  haling  Wood  or  Timber  to  the  Boat 
he  was  disturbed  by  the  Stones  as  before  at  home.  He  carried  a 
stirrup  iron  from  the  house  down  to  the  Boat,  and  there  left  it;  but 
while  he  was  going  up  to  the  house,  the  iron  came  jingling  after  him 
through  the  Woods,  and  returned  to  the  house,  and  so  again,  and  at 
last  went  away,  and  was  heard  of  no  more.  Their  Anchor  leapt  over- 
board several  times  as  they  were  going  home  and  stopt  the  boat.  A 
Cheese  hath  been  taken  out  of  the  Press  and  crumbled  all  over  the 
floor.  A  piece  of  Iron  with  which  they  weighed  up  the  Cheese-press 
stuck  into  the  Wall,  and  a  Kittle  hung  up  thereon.  Several  Cocks 
of  English-hay1  mowed  near  the  house  were  taken  and  hung  upon 
Trees;  and  some  made  into  small  whisps,  and  put  all  up  and  down 
the  Kitchin,  Cum  multis  o/m,1  etc.  After  this  manner,  have  they 
been  treated  ever  since  at  times;  it  were  endless  to  particularize. 
Of  late  they  thought  the  bitterness  of  Death  had  been  past,  being 
quiet  for  sundry  dayes  and  nights :  but  last  week  were  some  Return- 
ings  again;  and  this  week  (Aug.  2,  1682)  as  bad^or  worse  than  ever. 
The  Man  is  sorely  hurt  with  some  of  the  Stones  that  came  on  him, 
and  like  to  feel  the  effects  of  them  for  many  dayes. 

Thus  far  is  that  Relation. 

I  am  moreover  informed,  that  the  Daemon  was  quiet  all 
the  last  Winter,  but  in  the  Spring  he  began  to  play  some  ludi- 
crous tricks,  carrying  away  some  Axes  that  were  locked  up 

1  Doubtless  what  is  now  known  as  "timothy."    In  1807  Kendall  found  this 
still  called  "English  grass"  in  Connecticut. 
*"With  many  other  things." 


1682]        I.  MATHER,   REMARKABLE  PROVIDENCES  37 

safe.    This  last  Slimmer  he  has  not  made  such  disturbances  as 
formerly.     But  of  this  no  more  at  present.1 

There  have  been  strange  and  true  Reports  concerning  a 
Woman  now  living  near  the  Salmon  Falls  in  Barwick2  (for- 
merly called  Kittery)  unto  whom  Evil  Spirits  have  sometimes 
visibly  appeared;  and  she  has  sometimes  been  sorely  tor- 
mented by  invisible  hands:  Concerning  all  which,  an  Intelli- 
gent Person  has  sent  me  the  following  Narrative.3 

A  Brief  Narrative  of  sundry  Apparitions  of  Satan  unto  and  Assaults 
at  sundry  times  and  places  upon  the  Person  of  Mary  the  Wife  of 
Antonio  Hortado,  dwelling  near  the  Salmon  Falls:  Taken  from 
her  own  mouth,  Aug.  13,  1683. 

In  June  1682  (the  day  forgotten)  at  Evening,  the  said  Mary 
heard  a  voice  at  the  door  of  her  Dwelling,  saying,  What  do  you  here? 
about  an  hour  after,  standing  at  the  Door  of  her  House,  she  had  a 
blow  on  her  Eye  that  settled  her  head  near  to  the  Door  post,  and 
two  or  three  dayes  after,  a  Stone,  as  she  judged  about  half  a  pound 
or  a  pound  weight,  was  thrown  along  the  house  within  into  the  Chim- 
ney, and  going  to  take  it  up  it  was  gone;  all  the  Family  was  in  the 
house,  and  no  hand  appearing  which  might  be  instrumental  in  throw- 
ing the  stone.  About  two  hours  after,  a  Frying-pan  then  hanging 
in  the  Chimney  was  heard  to  ring  so  loud,  that  not  only  those  in 
the  house  heard  it,  but  others  also  that  lived  on  the  other  side  of 
the  River  near  an  hundred  Rods  distant  or  more.  Whereupon  the 
said  Mary  and  her  Husband  going  in  a  Cannoo  over  the  River,  they 

1  "As  for  Walton,  the  Quaker  of  Portsmouth,  whose  house  has  been  so 
strangely  troubled/'  adds  Mather  in  the  following  chapter,  "he  suspects  that  one 
of  his  neighbours  has  caused  it  by  witchcraft;  she  (being  a  widow-woman)  chargeth 
him  with  injustice  in  detaining  some  land  from  her.    It  is  none  of  my  work  to  re- 
flect upon  the  man,  nor  will  I  do  it;  only,  if  there  be  any  late  or  old  guilt  upon  his 
conscience,  it  concerns  him  by  confession  and  repentance  to  give  glory  to  that  God 
who  is  able  in  strange  wayes  to  discover  the  sins  of  men" — and  see  also  p.  214. 

2  Berwick,  on  the  Maine  side  of  the  river. 

3  This  narrative  too  came  from  the  Rev.  Joshua  Moodey  (see  his  letters  of 
July  14  and  August  23,  1683— Mather  Papers,  pp.  359-361),  but  at  Mather's 
instance.     "I  was  very  earnest  with  Mr.  Emerson,"  writes  Moodey,  "and  at 
length  obtained  the  enclosed,  which  I  transcribed  from  Mr.  Tho.  Broughton,  who 
read  to  mee  what  he  took  from  the  mouth  of  the  woman  and  her  husband,  and 
judge  it  credible,  though  it  bee  not  the  half  of  what  is  to  be  gotten.     I  expect 
from  him  a  fuller  and  farther  account  before  I  come  down  to  the  Commence- 
ment."   John  Emerson,  the  schoolmaster,  we  shall  meet  again  at  Salem  (see  p. 
377,  note).     Thomas  Broughton  was  a  well  known  Boston  merchant,  then  so- 
journing in  New  Hampshire. 


38  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1683 

saw  like  the  head  of  a  man  new-shorn,  and  the  tail  of  a  white  Cat 
about  two  or  three  foot  distance  from  each  other,  swimming  over 
before  the  Cannoo,  but  no  body  appeared  to  joyn  head  and  tail  to- 
gether; and  they  returning  over  the  River  in  less  than  an  hours  time, 
the  said  Apparition  followed  their  Cannoo  back  again,  but  disap- 
peared at  Landing.  A  day  or  two  after,  the  said  Mary  was  stricken 
on  her  head  (as  she  judged)  with  a  stone,  which  caused  a  Swelling 
and  much  soreness  on  her  head,  being  then  in  the  yard  by  her  house, 
and  she  presently  entring  into  her  house  was  bitten  on  both  Arms 
black  and  blue,  and  one  of  her  Breasts  scratched ;  the  impressions  of 
the  Teeth  being  like  Mans  Teeth,  were  plainly  seen  by  many :  Where- 
upon deserting  their  House  to  sojourn  at  a  Neighbours  on  the  other 
side  of  the  River,  there  appeared  to  said  Mary  in  the  house  of  her 
sojourning,  a  Woman  clothed  with  a  green  Safeguard,  a  short  blue 
Cloak,  and  a  white  Cap,  making  a  profer  to  strike  her  with  a  Fire- 
brand, but  struck  her  not.  The  Day  following  the  same  shape  ap- 
peared again  to  her,  but  now  arrayed  with  a  gray  Gown,  white  Apron, 
and  white  Head-clothes,  in  appearance  laughing  several  times,  but 
no  voice  heard.  Since  when  said  Mary  has  been  freed  from  those 
Satanical  Molestations. 

But  the  said  Antonio  being  returned  in  March  last  with  his 
Family,  to  dwell  again  in  his  own  house,  and  on  his  entrance  there, 
hearing  the  noise  of  a  Man  walking  in  his  Chamber,  and  seeing  the 
boards  buckle  under  his  feet  as  he  walked,  though  no  man  to  be  seen 
in  the  Chamber  (for  they  went  on  purpose  to  look)  he  returned  with 
his  Family  to  dwell  on  the  other  side  of  the  River;  yet  planting  his 
Ground  though  he  forsook  his  House,  he  hath  had  five  Rods  of  good 
Log-fence  thrown  down  at  once,  the  feeting  of  Neat  Cattle  plainly  to 
be  seen  almost  between  every  Row  of  Corn  in  the  Field  yet  no  Cattle 
seen  there,  nor  any  damage  done  to  his  Corn,  not  so  much  as  any 
of  the  Leaves  of  the  Corn  crept. 

Thus  far  is  that  Narrative. 

I  am  further  informed,  that  some  (who  should  have  been 
wiser)  advised  the  poor  Woman  to  stick  the  House  round  with 
Bayes,  as  an  effectual  preservative  against  the  power  of  Evil 
Spirits.  This  Counsel  was  followed.  And  as  long  as  the 
Bayes  continued  green,  she  had  quiet;  but  when  they  began 
to  wither,  they  were  all  by  an  unseen  hand  carried  away,  and 
the  Woman  again  tormented. 

It  is  observable,  that  at  the  same  time  three  Houses  in 
three  several  Towns  should  be  molested  by  Daemons,  as  has 
now  been  related. 


THE  NEW  YORK  CASES  OF  HALL  AND 
HARRISON,  1665,  1670 


INTRODUCTION 

IT  is  not  strange  that  in  the  Dutch  colony  of  New  Nether- 
land  we  hear  nothing  of  witches.  The  home  land  of  the  Dutch 
had,  beyond  all  others,  outgrown  the  panic.  It  was  a  physi- 
cian of  Netherlandish  birth,  Johann  Weyer,  who  in  the  later 
sixteenth  century  first  wrote  effectively  against  its  cruelties. 
When  his  English  pupil,  Reginald  Scot,  protested  yet  more 
boldly,  it  was  in  Holland  alone  his  book  found  reimpression. 
So  far  as  is  known,  the  seventeenth  century  saw  there  no 
executions  for  witchcraft,  and  after  1610  no  trials.  If  the 
leaders  of  Dutch  Calvinism  were  content  with  silence,  the 
most  eloquent  spokesman  of  their  Arminian  rivals,  Episcopius, 
was  a  frank  disbeliever  in  the  witch-pact  and  the  witch-con- 
fessions. It  was  his  fellow  Arminian,  Grevius,  who  first  dem- 
onstrated the  iniquity  of  torture,  the  fruitful  source  of  such 
confessions  throughout  Christendom;  and  that  other  Dutch- 
man, Balthasar  Bekker,  who  in  1691  struck  at  the  root  of  the 
terror  by  doubting  the  Devil  himself,  was  but  the  last  of  a 
long  line  of  such  bold  thinkers.  These  were  of  course  in  ad- 
vance of  their  fellows;  but  that  Holland  was  throughout  the 
century  a  refuge  for  the  victims  and  the  foes  of  witch-perse- 
cution hi  neighbor  lands  would  seem  to  point  to  a  general 
skepticism,  and  how  cautious,  with  all  their  credulity,  even 
Calvinist  divines  had  grown  in  such  an  atmosphere,  New 
England  learned  in  1692  when  she  asked  an  opinion  from  her 
New  York  neighbors.1 

No  wonder,  then,  that  (as  Mrs.  Van  Rensselaer  tells  us) 
"the  one  and  only  sign  of  the  delusion  .  .  .  to  be  found  in  the 

1  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.,  Proceedings,  second  ser.,  I.  348-358.     See  p.  195,  below. 

41 


42          NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

annals  of  the  Dutch  province  is  a  fear  expressed  by  Governor 
Kieft  that  the  Indian  medicine-men  were  directing  their  in- 
cantations against  himself."  l  Accusations  of  witchcraft  the 
New  York  jurisdiction  did  not  wholly  escape;  but  they  fol- 
lowed the  English  occupation  and  were,  in  differing  ways,  a 
legacy  from  New  England.  Even  the  Dutch  dominion  had 
included  towns  peopled  from  New  England;  and  it  was  to 
these  that  in  1662  (the  same  year  in  which,  as  we  have  seen, 
he  was  interceding  with  the  Connecticut  government  for  his 
young  kinswoman  Judith  Varlet)2  Governor  Stuyvesant 
found  it  wise,  while  granting  them  their  own  magistrates  and 
their  own  courts,  to  prescribe  that  "in  dark  and  dubious 
matters,  especially  in  witchcrafts,  the  party  aggrieved  might 
appeal  to  the  Governor  and  Council."  3  But  when  in  1664 
the  English  king  bestowed  upon  his  brother,  the  Duke  of 
York,  the  territory  occupied  by  the  Dutch  colony  and  equipped 
him  with  the  means  to  take  it  by  force,  he  added  to  the  gift 
that  greater  eastern  half  of  Long  Island  which  had  not  only 
been  settled,  but  till  now  had  been  governed,  by  the  New 
Englanders.  There,  from  the  first,  witchcraft  was  in  thought ; 
for  the  earliest  settlement,  at  Southampton,  had  adopted  for 
its  code  the  law  of  Moses  as  codified  by  the  Rev.  John  Cot- 
ton, with  the  death  penalty  both  for  witchcraft  and  for  con- 
sulting a  witch.4  Already  in  1658  Elizabeth  Garlick,  of 
Easthampton,  had  been  indicted  for  witchcraft  and  sent  to 
Connecticut  for  trial.5  It  is  intelligible,  therefore,  that  in 

1  History  of  the  City  of  New  York  in  the  Seventeenth  Century,  I.  203. 

1  See  p.  18,  note  2. 

1  Bolton,  History  of  the  County  of  Westchester  (revised  ed.,  New  York,  1881), 
II.  280,  quoting  vol.  XXL  233-238  of  the  "Albany  Records." 

4  Howell,  Southampton,  pp.  47,  465;  The  First  Book  of  Records  of  the  Town 
of  Southampton  (Sag  Harbor,  1874),  p.  18  ff. 

1  The  evidence  against  her  may  be  found  in  the  Records  of  the  Town  of  East- 
Hampton  (Sag  Harbor,  1887  ff.),  I.  128-140,  152-155,  the  record  of  the  Connecti- 
cut court  (she  was  acquitted)  in  the  Historical  Magazine,  VI.  53,  and  a  letter  of 
Governor  Winthrop  to  the  Easthamptonians  in  the  Public  Records  of  Connecticut, 


INTRODUCTION  43 

1665,  the  very  first  year  of  English  control  at  New  York, 
there  came  up  from  Seatalcott,  or  Setauket,  the  later  Brook- 
haven,  whose  settlers  had  been  drawn  from  the  region  of 
Boston,  a  case  of  witchcraft  for  trial  by  the  supreme  court 
of  the  colony,  the  "  Court  of  Assizes."  l 

The  two  documents  which  make  up  the  extant  record  of 
this  case,  with  those  relating  to  a  woman  who  crossed  the 
border  after  trial  for  witchcraft  in  Connecticut,  form,  so  far 
as  is  known,  the  entire  witch-annals  of  the  New  York  prov- 
ince. They  must  serve  us  here  in  lieu  of  a  narrative. 

The  documents  of  the  Hall  case,  first  printed  perhaps  in 
the  New  York  National  Advocate  (August  2,  1821)  and  thence 
borrowed  by  Niles's  Weekly  Register  (August  11),  were  in- 
cluded by  Yates  (with  a  part  of  the  Harrison  papers)  in  the 
appendix  to  his  edition  of  Smith's  History  of  New  York  (Al- 
bany, 1814),  and  more  fully  printed  by  O'Callaghan  in  his 
Documentary  History  of  New  York  (quarto  ed.,  IV.  85-88; 
octavo  ed.,  IV.  133-138).  Those  of  the  Harrison  case,  more 
fully  ferreted  out  by  Mr.  Paltsits,  are  printed  by  him  with 
especial  care  and  with  valuable  notes,  in  the  Minutes  of  the 
Executive  Council  of  New  York  (Albany,  1910),  I.  390-395,  II. 
52-55.  The  originals  of  the  Hall  documents  perished  in  the 
fire  which  befell  the  State  Capitol  at  Albany  on  March  29, 
1911;  the  Harrison  documents  were  but  slightly  damaged. 

I.  572-573.  That  Mary  Wright,  of  Oyster  Bay,  who  in  1660  was  punished  for 
Quakerism  in  Boston,  was  sent  thither  on  a  charge  of  witchcraft,  as  has  been 
stated,  seems  contradicted  by  what  we  know  of  her  case  (see  Hutchinson,  History 
of  Massachusetts,  L,  ch.  I.,  sub  anno  1660;  Bishop,  New-England  Judged,  ed.  of 
1703,  pp.  220,  340,  461;  N.  Y.  Gen.  and  Biog.  Record,  III.  37  ff.) 

1  This  colonial  "Court  of  Assizes"  was  made  up  of  the  governor  and  his 
council,  with  the  sheriff  of  the  colony  and  the  justices  of  the  three  "ridings."  It 
was  a  new  creation,  and,  having  come  together  on  September  28  for  its  first  annual 
session,  it  found  this  among  its  earliest  cases.  It  was,  however,  with  the  aid  of 
members  of  this  court  that  in  the  preceding  winter  Governor  Nicolls  had  drawn 
the  code — "the  Duke's  Laws,"  as  they  were  to  be  called — which  now  governed 
the  colony. 


THE  CASES  OF  HALL  AND  HARRISON 

At  the  Court  of  Assizes  held  in  New  Yorke 

the  2d  day  of  October  1665  etc. 

The  Tryall  of  Ralph  Hall  and  Mary  his  wife,  upon  suspicion 

of  Witchcraft.1 

The  names  of  the  Persons  who  served  on  the  Grand  Jury* 

Thomas  Baker,  Foreman  of  the  Jury, 

of  East  Hampton. 
Capt  John  Symonds  of  Hempsteed. 
Mr  Hallet 


Anthony  Waters  fJamaica 

1  Their  troubles  antedated  the  change  in  government,  and  it  would  seem 
that  at  first  their  neighbors  were  on  their  side;  for,  under  date  of  June  9,  1664, 
the  town  records  recite  that  "The  magistrates  haveing  Considdered  the  Com- 
plaintes  of  Hall  and  his  wife  against  mr.  Smith,  doo  judge  the  sayde  mr.  Smith 
hath  not  suffitienly  made  good  what  he  hath  sd.  of  her,  and  therefore  mr.  Smith 
is  orderred  to  pay  the  woman  five  markes."  (Records,  Town  of  Brookhaven,  up 
to  1800,  Patchogue,  1880,  p.  38.)  But  they  had  made  a  dangerous  foe,  for  at 
Setauket  "Mr."  Smith  could  then  hardly  have  meant  any  other  than  that  well- 
known  Long  Island  character,  Richard  Smith,  the  founder  of  Smithtown,  who 
had  himself  at  Boston  and  at  Southampton  experienced  imprisonment  and 
banishment  for  Quakerism  or  Quakerly  behavior,  but  was  now  a  man  of  note  in 
his  region — the  "Bull"  Smith  of  local  legend.  (Bishop,  New  England  Judged, 
ed.  of  1703,  p.  11;  Howell,  Early  History  of  Southampton,  L.  I.,  second  ed., 
Albany,  1887,  p.  438;  Early  Long  Island  Wills,  New  York,  1897,  p.  78  ff.) 

1  Of  this  jury  only  the  foreman  was  from  the  part  of  Long  Island  just 
gained  from  New  England.  The  four  next  named,  though  English,  were  from 
those  western  townships  which  under  Dutch  rule  had  been  a  place  of  refuge  for 
sectaries  of  every  sort.  "Mr.  Hallet"  was  probably  William  Hallett,  the  sheriff 
who  in  1656  had  lost  his  place  by  opening  his  house  to  Baptist  preaching.  Most 
puzzling  is  "Mr.  Nicolls  of  Stamford" — for  Stamford  was  not  even  claimed  by 
the  New  York  province.  Can  it  be  that  William  Nicolls  (son  of  Matthias  Nicolls, 
now  secretary  of  the  province  and  a  member  of  the  court),  who  was  later  to  have 
so  large  a  place  in  New  York  history,  had  temporarily  established  himself  at 
Stamford,  on  the  border?  Notable  among  the  six  New  Yorkers  is  the  name  of 
Jacob  Leisler,  later  to  play  so  strange  a  r61e. 

44 


1665J  NEW  YORK  CASES  45 

Thomas  Wandall  of  Marshpath1  Kills. 

Mr  Nicolls  of  Stamford 

Balthazer  de  Haart 

John  Garland 

Jacob  Leisler  f  AT      v    T 

Anthonio  de  Mill     J  of  New  Yorke' 

Alexander  Munro 

Thomas  Searle 
The  Prisoners  being  brought  to  the  Barr  by  Allard  An- 
thony, Sheriffe  of  New  Yorke,  This  following  Indictmt  was 
read,  first  against  Ralph  Hall  and  then  agst  Mary  his  wife, 
vizt. 

The  Constable  and  Overseers  of  the  Towne  of  Seatallcott, 
in  the  East  Riding  of  Yorkshire2  upon  Long  Island,  Do  Pre- 
sent for  our  Soveraigne  Lord  the  King,  That  Ralph  Hall  of 
Seatallcott  aforesaid,  upon  the  25th  day  of  December,  being 
Christmas  day  last  was  Twelve  Monthes,3  in  the  15th  yeare 
of  the  Raigne  of  our  Soveraigne  Lord,  Charles  the  Second, 
by  the  Grace  of  God,  King  of  England,  Scotland,  France  and 
Ireland,  Defender  of  the  Faith  etc,  and  severall  other  dayes 
and  times  since  that  day,  by  some  detestable  and  wicked 
Arts,  commonly  called  Witchcraft  and  Sorcery,  did  (as  is  sus- 
pected) maliciously  and  feloniously,  practice  and  Exercise  at 
the  said  towne  of  Seatalcott  in  the  East  Riding  of  Yorkshire 
on  Long  Island  aforesaid,  on  the  Person  of  George  Wood,  late 
of  the  same  place,  by  wch  wicked  and  detestable  Arts,  the 
said  George  Wood  (as  is  suspected)  most  dangerously  and 
mortally  sickned  and  languished,  And  not  long  after  by  the 
aforesaid  wicked  and  detestable  Aits,  the  said  George  Wood 
(as  is  likewise  suspected)  dyed. 

Moreover,  The  Constable  and  overseers  of  the  said  Towne 
of  Seatalcott,  in  the  East  Riding  of  Yorkshire  upon  Long 
Island  aforesaid,  do  further  Present  for  our  Soveraigne  Lord 
the  King,  That  some  while  after  the  death  of  the  aforesaid 

1  Maspeth. 

2  When,  in  honor  of  its   new  proprietor,  New  Amsterdam  became  New 
York,  Long  Island  was  for  the  same  reason  named  "Yorkshire."     Its  "East 
Riding"  was  the  portion,  now  Suffolk  county,  which  had  hitherto  been  New 
England's. 

3  7.  e.,  a  year  ago  last  Christmas — December  25,  1663 :  the  years  of  Charles 
II.'s  reign  were  reckoned  from  the  death  of  his  father. 


46  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1665 

George  Wood,  The  said  Ralph  Hall  did  (as  is  suspected) 
divers  times  by  the  like  wicked  and  detestable  Arts,  commonly 
called  Witchcraft  and  Sorcery,  Maliciously  and  feloniously 
practise  and  Exercise  at  the  said  Towne  of  Seatalcott,  in  the 
East  Riding  of  Yorkshire  upon  Long  Island  aforesaid,  on  the 
Person  of  an  Infant  Childe  of  Ann  Rogers,  widdow  of  the 
aforesaid  George  Wood  deceased,  by  wh  wicked  and  detest- 
able Arts,  the  said  Infant  Childe  (as  is  suspected)  most  dan- 
gerously and  mortally  sickned  and  languished,  and  not  long 
after  by  the  said  Wicked  and  detestable  Arts  (as  is  likewise 
suspected)  dyed,  And  so  the  said  Constable  and  Overseers 
do  Present,  That  the  said  George  Wood,  and  the  sd  Infante 
sd1  Childe  by  the  wayes  and  meanes  aforesaid,  most  wickedly 
maliciously  and  feloniously  were  (as  is  suspected)  murdered 
by  the  said  Ralph  Hall  at  the  times  and  places  aforesaid, 
agst  the  Peace  of  Our  Soveraigne  Lord  the  King  and  against 
the  Laws  of  this  Government  in  such  Cases  Provided.2 

The  like  Indictmt  was  read,  against  Mary  the  wife  of 
Ralph  Hall. 

There  upon,  several^  Depositions,  accusing  the  Prisonrs 
of  the  fact  for  which  they  were  endicted  were  read,  but  no 
witnesse  appeared  to  give  Testimony  in  Court  viva  wee. 

Then  the  Clarke3  calling  upon  Ralph  Hall,  bad  him  hold 
up  his  hand,  and  read  as  followes. 

Ralph  Hall  thou  standest  here  indicted,  for  that  having 
not  the  feare  of  God  before  thine  eyes,  Thou  did'st  upon  the 
25th  day  of  December,  being  Christmas  day  last  was  12 
Moneths,  and  at  sev'all  other  tunes  since,  as  is  suspected,  by 
some  wicked  and  detestable  Arts,  commonly  called  witchcraft 
and  Sorcery,  maliciously  and  feloniously  practice  and  Exer- 

1  This  repetition  of  "sd"  is  clearly  accidental. 

*  "The  Laws  of  this  Government" — "the  Duke's  laws,"  as  they  were  later 
called — had  been  drawn  up  in  the  preceding  winter  by  Governor  Nicolls  himself, 
with  the  aid  of  other  members  of  this  court;  and,  though  based  on  those  of  the 
New  England  colonies,  they  omitted  all  mention  of  witchcraft.  That  was  sig- 
nificant; but  it  meant  only  that  there  was  no  provision  for  its  punishment  per  »e, 
as  insult  to  the  majesty  of  Heaven :  harm  wrought  by  witchcraft,  whether  to 
person  or  property,  was  covered  by  the  general  statutes,  and  where,  as  in  this 
case,  the  harm  charged  was  death,  the  offense  (as  the  indictment  shows)  was 
accounted  murder. 

» The  clerk. 


1668]  NEW  YORK  CASES  47 

cise,  upon  the  Bodyes  of  George  Wood,  and  an  Infant  Childe 
of  Ann  Rogers,  by  which  said  Arts,  the  said  George  Wood  and 
the  Infant  Childe  (as  is  suspected)  most  dangerously  and  mor- 
tally fell  sick,  and  languisht  unto  death.  Ralph  Hall,  what 
dost  thou  say  for  thyselfe,  art  thou  guilty,  or  not  guilty? 

Mary  the  wife  of  Ralph  Hall  was  called  upon  in  like  man- 
ner. 

They  both  Pleaded  not  guilty  and  threw  themselves  to 
bee  Tryed  by  God  and  the  Country. 

Where  upon,  their  Case  was  referred  to  the  Jury,  who 
brought  in  to  the  Court,  this  following  verdict  vizt.1 

Wee  having  seriously  considered  the  Case  committed  to 
our  Charge,  against  the  Prisonrs  at  the  Barr,  and  having  well 
weighed  the  Evidence,  wee  finde  that  there  are  some  suspi- 
tions  by  the  Evidence,  of  what  the  woman  is  Charged  with, 
but  nothing  considerable  of  value  to  take  away  her  life.  But 
in  reference  to  the  man  wee  finde  nothing  considerable  to 
charge  him  with. 

The  Court  there  upon,  gave  this  sentence,  That  the  man 
should  bee  bound  Body  and  Goods  for  his  wives  Apperance, 
at  the  next  Sessions,  and  so  on  from  Sessions  to  Sessions  as 
long  as  they  stay  wthin  this  Government,  In  the  meane  while, 
to  bee  of  their  good  Behavior.  So  they  were  returned  into 
the  Sheriffs  Custody,  and  upon  Entring  into  a  Recognizance, 
according  to  the  Sentence  of  the  Court,  they  were  released. 

A  Release  to  Ralph  Hall  and  Mary  his  wife  from  the  Recog- 
nizance they  entred  into  at  the  Assizes. 

These  Are  to  Certify  all  whom  it  may  Concerne  That 
Ralph  Hall  and  Mary  his  wife  (at  present  living  upon  Great 
Minifords  Island)2  are  hereby  released  and  acquitted  from 
any  and  all  Recognizances,  bonds  of  appearance  or  othr  obli- 
gations— entred  into  by  them  or  either  of  them  for  the  peace 
or  good  behavior  upon  account  of  any  accusation  or  Indic- 
temt  upon  suspition  of  Witch  Craft  brought  into  the  Cort 
of  Assizes  against  them  in  the  year  1665.  There  haveving 
beene  no  direct  proofes  nor  furthr  prosecucion  of  them  or 

1  Videlicet,  "to  wit" :  we  now  abbreviate  it  by  "viz." 

*Now  "City  Island" — in  Long  Island  Sound,  at  its  western  end. 


48  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1670 

eithr  of  them  since. — Given  undr  my  hand  at  Fort  James  in 
New  Yorke  this  21th  day  of  August  1668. 

R.  NICOLLS. 


At  the  Fort  July  7th  1670. 
Before  the  Governor. 

Upon  the  Complaint  of  Thomas  Hunt  Sen'r  and  Edward 
Waters  on  behalfe  of  the  Towne  of  West  Chester  against  a 
Woman  suspected  for  a  Witch  who  they  desire  may  not  live 
in  their  Towne;  The  Woman  appeares  with  Capt.  Ponton1 
to  justify  her  selfe;  her  Name  is  Katharine  Harryson.2 

Their  Peticion,  as  also  another  from  Jamaica  against  her 
settling  there  were  read. 

Shee  saith  shee  hath  lived  at  Wethersfield  19  yeares,  and 
came  from  England  thither;  Shee  was  in  Prison  12  Months. 

Shee  was  tryed  for  Witchcraft  at  Hartford  in  May  last, 
found  guilty  by  the  Jury,  but  acquitted  by  the  Bench,  and 
released  out  of  Prison,  putting  her  in  minde  of  her  Promise 
to  remove.8 

1  Captain  Richard  Panton,  of  West  Chester,  in  whose  home  she  had  found 
shelter. 

'Katharine  Harrison  was  the  widow  of  John  Harrison,  of  Wethersfield, 
who  died  in  1666,  leaving  her  an  ample  estate  and  three  daughters.  Rebecca, 
the  eldest  (born  February  10,  1654),  became  at  some  time  before  June  28,  1671, 
the  wife  of  Josiah  Hunt  of  West  Chester,  or  Westchester,  son  of  that  Thomas 
Hunt  who  now  (July  7)  is  named  as  a  complainant  against  her  on  behalf  of  that 
town,  but  in  a  following  document  (August  24)  appears  on  her  behalf.  It  is 
possible  that  this  marriage  antedated  her  coming  to  West  Chester  and  explains 
it,  but  more  likely  that  it  was  a  result  of  it  and  explains  the  changing  attitude  of 
Thomas  Hunt.  (See  Adams  and  Stiles,  History  of  Ancient  Weihersfield,  New 
York,  1904, 1.  682,  II.  416;  N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen.  Register,  XVIII.  58;  N.  Y.  Gen. 
and  Biog.  Record,  XLIII.  117;  N.  Y.  Executive  Council  Minutes,  I.  53,  note.) 

1  There  then  follows  a  transcript,  from  the  records  of  the  Connecticut 
Court  of  Assistants,  of  this  action  in  her  case — in  its  session  of  May  20,  1670. 
The  documents  of  her  trial,  still  extant  at  Hartford  in  the  records  of  the  county 
court  and  in  those  of  the  Court  of  Assistants  (I.  1-7),  and  in  part  printed  in  the 
Connecticut  Colonial  Records  (II.  118, 132),  in  Adams  and  Stiles,  Ancient  Wethers- 
field (I.  682-684),  and  in  Taylor,  The  Witchcraft  Delusion  in  Colonial  Connecticut 
(New  York,  1908),  pp.  47-61,  show  that  she  was  imprisoned  and  indicted  in  May, 
1669,  tried  in  October  and  found  guilty  by  a  jury,  but  by  a  special  Court  of  As- 
sistants, to  which  the  General  Assembly  had  referred  the  matter  with  power, 
was  in  May,  1670,  dismissed,  as  stated  above,  with  a  reminder  of  her  promise  to 
leave  Wethersfield. 


1670]  NEW  YORK  CASES  .  49 


An  Ordr  for  Katherine  Harrison  to  Remove  from  Westchestr. 

Whereas  Complaint  hath  beene  made  unto  me  by  the  In- 
habitants of  Westchestr  agt  Katherine  Harrison  late  of  Weth- 
ersfeild  in  his  Ma'ties  Colony  of  Conecticott  widdow.  That 
contrary  to  the  consent  and  good  liking  of  the  Towne  she 
would  settle  amongst  them  and  she  being  reputed  to  be  a 
person  lyeing  undr  the  Supposicion  of  Witchcraft  hath  given 
some  cause  of  apprehension  to  the  Inhabitants  there,  To  the 
end  their  Jealousyes  and  feares  as  to  this  perticuler  may  be 
removed,  I  have  thought  fitt  to  ordr  and  appoint  that  the 
Constable  and  Overseers  of  the  Towne  of  Westchestr  do  give 
warning  to  the  said  Katherine  Harrison  to  remove  out  of  their 
precincts  in  some  short  tyme  after  notice  given,  and  they  are 
likewise  to  admonish  her  to  retorne  to  the  place  of  her  former 
abode,  that  they  nor  their  neighbours  may  receive  no  furthr 
disturbance  by  her.  Given  undr  my  hand  at  Fort  James  in 
New  Yorke  this  7th  day  of  July  1670. 

[FRANCIS  LOVELACE]. 

An  Ordr  for  Katherine  Harrison  and  Captn  Richard  Panton  to 
appeare  at  the  Fort  before  the  Governor. 

Whereas  Complaint  hath  beene  made  unto  me  by  the 
Inhabitants  of  Westchestr  agt  Katherine  Harrison  widdow 
That  she  doth  neglect  or  refuse  to  obey  my  late  Ordr  con- 
cerning her  removall  out  of  the  said  Towne,  These  are  to  re- 
quire you  that  you  give  notice  unto  the  said  Katherine  Har- 
rison as  also  unto  Captn  Richard  Panton  at  whose  house  she 
resydeth,  That  they  make  their  personall  appearance  before 
me  in  this  place  on  Wednesday  next  being  the  24th  of  this 
Instant  month,  when  those  of  the  Towne  that  have  ought  to 
object  agt  them  doe  likewise  attend,  where  I  shall  endeavor 
a  Composure  of  this  difference  betweene  them.  Given  undr 
my  hand  at  Fort  James  in  New  Yorke  this  20th  day  of  Au- 
gust 1670. 

[FRANCIS  LOVELACE.] 

To  the  Constable  of  Westchestr, 


50  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1670 

Pres't  At  the  Fort.  Aug:  24th  1670. 

The  Governour 

Mr.  Delavall 

The  Secretary 

The  Matt'r  to  bee  considered  of  is  the  Complaint  of  the 
Towne  of  West-chester  against  Katharine  Harryson  Widdow 
suspected  of  Witch-craft  etc : 

They  being  all  appointed  to  appeare  before  the  Governour 
this  day; 

There  appeared  for  the  Towne  Edward  Waters  Constable 
and  John  Quinby; 

For  the  Woman  Capt.  Ponton,  Thomas  Hunt  Senr,  and 
Junr,  Roger  Townsend,  and  one  More.1 

Capt.  Ponton  produced  a  Lett'r  from  Capt.  Talcott2  to 
him  in  Justification  of  the  Womans  Innocency,  and  another 
Letter  from  John  Allen  Secretary  of  Connecticott  Governm't, 
in  excuse  of  not  sending  the  Womans  Papers. 

Josiah  Willard3  being  desired  to  say  what  hee  knew  con- 
cerning the  Woman,  making  Relation  of  what  is  certifyed  by 
Mr.  Allen,  hee  is  one  of  that  Governm't  that  knew  of  her 
Arraignment,  and  was  spoken  to  (that  hee  would  bee  present) 
by  the  Constable,  but  hath  nothing  to  say  further. 

It  being  taken  into  Consideracion,  It  is  Ordered  that  the 
Discussion  of  this  Matter  bee  referrd  to  the  next  Gen[er]al  Court 
of  Assizes;  In  the  meane  time  that  shee  give  Security  for  her 
good  Behaviour,  during  the  time  of  her  Abode  amongst  them 
at  West-Chester. 

A  warrant  to  the  Constable  of  Westchestr  to  take  an  Account  of 
the  Goods  of  Katherine  Harrison. 

These  are  to  require  you  to  take  an  Account  of  such  Goods 
as  have  lately  beene  brought  from  out  of  his  Ma'ties  Colony  of 
Conecticott  unto  Katherine  Harrison,  and  having  taken  a 

1 I.  e.\  one  more  appeared. 

1  Captain  John  Talcott,  then  treasurer  of  the  Connecticut  colony,  was  one  of 
its  foremost  men.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Court  of  Assistants,  and  was  doubtless 
largely  responsible  for  its  action.  He  was  well  known  at  West  Chester,  for  in  1663 
at  the  head  of  a  troop  from  Connecticut  he  had  taken  the  place  from  the  Dutch. 

1  Of  Wethersfield — a  trader,  and  doubtless  here  on  some  mercantile  errand. 
He  was  a  brother  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Willard,  whom  we  have  met  (pp.  21-22)  and 
shall  meet  again. 


1670]  NEW  YORK  CASES  51 

Note  of  the  perticulers  that  you  retorne  the  Same  unto  me  for 
the  doeing  whereof  this  shall  be  yor  warrant.  Given  undr  my 
hand  at  Fort  James  in  New  Yorke  this  25th  day  of  August  1670. 

[FRANCIS  LOVELACE.] 
To  the  present  Constable  of  Westchester. 

An  Ordr  concerning  Katherine  Harrison. 

Whereas  severall  Adresses  have  beene  made  unto  me  by 
some  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Westchestr  on  behalfe  of  the  rest 
desiring  that  Katherine  Harrison  late  of  Wethersfeild  in  his 
Ma'  ties  Colony  of  Connecticott  widdow  at  present  residing 
in  their  Towne  may  be  ordered  to  remove  from  thence  and  not 
permitted  to  stay  wthin  their  Jurisdiction  upon  an  apprehen- 
sion they  have  of  her  grounded  upon  some  troubles  she  hath 
layne  undr  at  Wethersfeild  upon  suspition  of  Witchcraft,  the 
reasons  whereof  do  not  so  clearly  appeare  unto  me,  Yett  not- 
wthstanding  to  give  as  much  satisfaction  as  may  be  to  the 
Complts1  who  pretend  their  feares  to  be  of  a  publique  Con- 
cerne,  I  have  not  thought  fitt  absolutely  to  determyne  the 
mattr  at  present,  but  do  suspend  it  untill  the  next  Genrll 
Cort  of  Assizes,  when  there  will  be  a  full  meeting  of  the  Coun- 
cell  and  Justices  of  the  peace  to  debate  and  conclude  the 
same.  In  the  meane  tyme  the  said  Katherine  Harrison  wth 
her  Children  may  remaine  in  the  Towne  of  Westchestr  where 
she  now  is  wthout  disturbance  or  molestation,  she  having 
given  sufficient  security  for  her  Civill  carriage  and  good  be- 
haviour. Given  undr  my  hand  at  Fort  James  in  New  York 
this  25th  day  of  August  in  the  22th  yeare  of  his  Ma'ties 
Raigne  Annoq.*  Domini  1670.  [FRANCIS  LOVELACEJ 


Anno  1670. 

Appeals,  Actions,  Presentmts  etc.  Entredfor  Hearing  and  Tryall 
at  the  Gen[er]all  Cort  of  Assizes  to  bee  held  in  New  Yorke  be- 
ginning on  the  first  Wednesday  of  Octobr  1670. 

Katherine  Harryson  bound  over  to  appeare  upon  the 
Complt  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Westchester  upon  suspicion  of 
Witch-craft. 

1  Complainants. 

1  /.  e.,  "and  in  the  year  of  Our  Lord"  :  the  q  stands  for  the  enclitic  que,  and. 


52          NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1670 

In  the  case  of  Katherine  Harryson  Widdow,  who  was 
bound  to  the  good  Behaviour  upon  Complt  of  some  of  the 
Inhabitants  of  Westchester  untill  the  holding  of  this  Court, 
It  is  Ordered,  that  in  regard  there  is  nothing  appears  against 
her  deserving  the  continuance  of  that  obligacion  shee  is  to  bee 
releast  from  it,  and  hath  Liberty  to  remaine  in  the  Towne  of 
Westchester  where  shee  now  resides,  or  any  where  else  in  the 
Governmt  during  her  pleasure.1 

[FRANCIS  LOVELACE.] 

1  Alas,  it  is  to  be  feared  that  her  neighbors  did  not  make  her  life  happy. 
Certain  documents  as  to  her  property  (printed  in  the  N.  Y.  Executive  Council 
Minutes,  II.  393-395)  make  it  probable  that  she  left  Westchester  in  May;  and 
an  entry  of  May  9,  1672,  in  the  records  (yet  unpublished)  of  the  Connecticut 
Court  of  Assistants — "The  court  upon  ace'*  of  work  done  by  Katherin  Harrison 
for  Daniel  Gerrad  doe  see  cause  to  remit  of  the  five  pounds  Katherin  Harrison 
is  to  pay  Dan'll  Gerrad  Twenty  Shillings" — may  mean  that  she  was  permitted 
to  return  to  Hartford,  though  perhaps  it  refers  to  work  done  while  she  was  in 
custody.  In  any  case,  she  was  in  New  York  later,  for,  "during  the  temporary 
occupation  of  New  York  by  the  Dutch  in  1673,  an  accusation  was  brought  against 
her  before  Governor  Colve,  but  was  promptly  and  contemptuously  dismissed" 
(Drake,  Annals  of  Witchcraft,  Boston,  1869,  pp.  133-134;  Levermore,  "Witch- 
craft in  Connecticut,"  in  the  New  Englander,  XLIV.  812). 


LITHOBOLIA,  BY  RICHARD  CHAMBERLAIN, 

1698 


INTRODUCTION 

THAT  the  "R.  C.  Esq."  who  in  1698  published  at  London 
the  following  narrative  was  Richard  Chamberlain,  sometime 
secretary  of  the  province  of  New  Hampshire,  is  beyond  all 
doubt.  His  own  statement  that  he  was  in  that  province  in 
His  Majesty's  service,  and  lodged  at  George  Walton's,  in  a 
year  easily  recognized  by  internal  evidence  as  1682,  would 
suffice  to  identify  him;  for  not  only  was  there  no  other  "R. 
C."  hi  that  well-known  circle,  but  the  Puritan  pastor  at  Ports- 
mouth, writing  at  that  very  time  of  this  very  episode  (see  p.  35, 
above),  makes  the  secretary  a  lodger  at  George  Walton's  and 
a  source  of  information  as  to  these  happenings.  Nor  can 
this  story  be  any  bookseller's  expansion  of  the  narrative  then 
published;  for  its  mass  of  added  detail  squares  not  less  per- 
fectly with  every  local  tradition.  If  "the  Contents  hereof  " 
are  not  now  to  be  found  in  the  records  of  His  Majesty's 
"Council-Court  held  for  that  province,"  where  Chamberlain 
himself  doubtless  inscribed  them,  it  is  amply  explained  by 
the  mutilation  and  scattering  of  those  records;  and  enough 
remains  (see  p.  31,  note)  to  show  the  affair  matter  of  record. 

There  was  reason,  too,  why  precisely  Richard  Chamber- 
lain should  have  been  one  of  the  objects  of  such  wrath,  human 
or  infernal,  as  found  utterance  in  this  "stonery."  It  was  the 
very  crisis  of  a  dispute  that  for  half  a  century  had  disturbed 
the  peace  of  New  Hampshire.  John  Mason,  to  whom  in  1629 
that  region  had  been  granted  and  who  in  1631  had  under- 
taken its  settlement,  had  died  in  1635  without  making  ade- 
quate provision  for  its  administration.  The  multiplying  col- 

55 


56  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

onists,  who  even  before  and  during  his  personal  control  had 
occupied  lands  by  other  title  than  his  grant,  now  ignored  his 
claims;  and  the  widow  and  infant  grandchildren  who  were 
his  heirs  soon  left  them  wholly  to  their  own  devices.  The 
growing  Puritan  element  leaned  on  the  neighboring  Massa- 
chusetts, and  that  colony  discovered  that  its  own  charter 
could  be  interpreted  to  include  the  territory  now  settled  in 
New  Hampshire.  Lands  were  thenceforward  often  granted  by 
the  Boston  government,  and  oftener  by  the  town  authorities 
set  up  by  it  in  New  Hampshire;  and  the  feeble  protests  of 
the  Mason  heirs  found  little  hearing,  the  political  changes  in 
England  making  it  impossible  to  enforce  them.  But  with  the 
Restoration,  in  1660,  matters  changed,  and  by  1680  Robert 
Mason  had  not  only  won  from  a  venal  court  the  rejection  of 
the  Massachusetts  claim  and  full  recognition  of  his  proprietor- 
ship hi  New  Hampshire,  but  was  given  a  seat  in  the  Council 
of  the  royal  province  into  which  the  colony  was  now  recon- 
stituted and  was  permitted  to  nominate  its  governor  and  sec- 
retary. A  governor  was  not  at  once  found;  but  as  its  secre- 
tary he  named  Richard  Chamberlain.  » 

Of  Chamberlain's  history  we  know  little.  The  Lords  of 
Trade  had  stipulated  that  the  new  secretary  should  be  "well 
versed  in  the  law,"  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  he  was 
that  "Richard  Chamberlayne,  son  and  heir  of  William  C.,  of 
London,  gent.,"  who  in  May,  1651,  was  admitted  to  Gray's 
Inn  (not  six  months  after  Mason's  all-powerful  kinsman  and 
adviser,  Edward  Randolph),  who  was  "  called  to  the  bar  11  Nov. 
1659,  ancient  17  April  1676,"  and  whose  daughter  Elizabeth 
was  in  1695  wedded  to  that  "much  Honoured  Mart.  Lumley, 
Esq.,"  to  whom  he  dedicates  this  booklet.  If  so  he  was  of  a 
good  family,  whose  pedigree  can  be  traced  for  several  genera- 
tions in  the  visitations  of  the  heralds.  Perhaps  already  an 
acquaintance  of  Mason,  he  soon  became  his  intimate  friend. 
They  crossed  the  sea  together,  arriving  in  New  Hampshire 


INTRODUCTION  57 

in  December,  1680,  and  at  once  entering  on  their  functions  in 
the  government.  Though  outvoted  in  the  Council,  Mason 
proceeded  to  the  enforcement  of  his  territorial  claims,  and 
soon  by  his  demands,  however  legal,  earned  fear  and  hate  not 
only  for  himself  but  for  Chamberlain,  who  was  believed  to 
have  instigated  them.  The  colonists  were  left  their  improved 
lands,  on  payment  of  a  moderate  quit-rent;  but  all  wild  lands, 
including  their  pastures  and  their  woodlands,  Mason  counted 
his,  to  grant  at  will.  But  the  colonists,  except  a  few  Quakers, 
stoutly  held  out,  and  Mason  returned  to  England  to  urge  his 
case,  leaving  Chamberlain  to  bear  the  brunt.  The  latter  had 
his  abode  on  Great  Island,  under  the  guns  of  the  fort,  at  the 
house  of  the  Quaker  George  Walton;  and  it  is  there,  in  the 
summer  of  1682,  that  the  following  narrative  has  its  scene. 

The  booklet  is  now  very  rare,  and  this  is  probably  the  first 
complete  reimpression  of  it.  With  the  exception  of  the  pref- 
atory matter  it  was,  however,  reprinted  in  1861  in  the  His- 
torical Magazine,  V.  321-327. 


LITHOBOLIA 

Lithobolia:  or,  the  Stone-Throwing  Devil.  Being  an  Exact  and 
True  Account  (by  way  of  Journal)  of  the  various  Actions 
of  Infernal  Spirits,  or  (Devils  Incarnate)  Witches,  or  both; 
and  the  great  Disturbance  and  Amazement  they  gave  to 
George  Waltons  Family,  at  a  place  call'd  Great  Island  in 
the  Province  of  New-Hantshire  in  New-England,  chiefly  in 
Throwing  about  (by  an  Invisible  hand)  Stone,  Bricks,  and 
Brick-bats  of  all  Sizes,  with  several  other  things,  as  Hammers, 
Mauls,  Iron-Crows,  Spits,  and  other  Domestick  Utensils, 
as  came  into  their  Hellish  Minds,  and  this  for  the  space  of 
a  Quarter  of  a  Year. 

By  R.  C.  Esq;  who  was  a  Sojourner  in  the  same  Family 
the  whole  time,  and  an  Ocular  Witness  of  these  Diabolick 
Inventions. 

The  Contents  hereof  being  manifestly  known  to  the  Inhabitants 
of  that  Province,  and  Persons  of  other  Provinces,  and  is  upon 
Record  in  his  Majesties  Council-Court  held  for  that  Province. 

London,  Printed,  and  are  to  be  Sold  by  E.  Whitlook  near 
Stationers-Hall,  1698.1 

To  The  much  Honoured  Mart.  Lumley,  Esq;z 
Sir, 

As  the  subsequent  Script  deserves  not  to  be  called  a  Book, 
so  these  precedent  Lines  presume  not  to  a  Dedication :  But, 
Sir,  it  is  an  occasion  that  I  am  ambitious  to  lay  hold  on,  to 
discover  to  You  by  this  Epitome  (as  it  were)  the  propension 

1  Title-page  of  the  original. 

1  Martin  Lumley,  Esq.  (1662-1710),  son  of  Sir  Martin  Lumley,  of  Great 
Bardfield,  Essex,  himself  succeeded  to  that  baronetcy  in  1702.  When  Lithobolia 
was  written  he  had  probably  just  become  a  kinsman  of  the  author;  for  in  1695 
he  married  for  his  second  wife  "Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Richard  Chamberlayn  of 
Gray's  Inn."  (See  article  of  J.  W.  Dean,  in  N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen.  Register,  XLIII. 
183-185.) 

58 


1698]  LITHOBOLIA  59 

and  inclination  I  have  to  give  a  more  full  and  perfect  demon- 
stration of  the  Honour,  Love,  and  Service,  I  own  (as  I  think 
my  self  oblig'd)  to  have  for  You.  To  a  Sober,  Judicious,  and 
well  Principled  Person,  such  as  your  Self,  plain  Truths  are 
much  more  agreeable  than  the  most  charming  and  surprising 
Romance  or  Novel,  with  all  the  strange  turns  and  events. 
That  this  is  of  the  first  sort,  (as  I  have  formerly  upon  Record 
attested)  I  do  now  aver  and  protest ;  yet  neither  is  it  less  strange 
than  true,  and  so  may  be  capable  of  giving  you  some  Diver- 
sion for  an  hour :  For  this  interruption  of  your  more  serious 
ones,  I  cannot  doubt  your  candor  and  clemency,  in  pardoning 
it,  that  so  well  know  (and  do  most  sensibly  acknowledg)  your 
high  Worth  and  Goodness;  and  that  the  Relation  I  am  Digni- 
fied with,  infers  a  mutual  Patronization.  ^ 

Sir,  I  am 

Your  most  Humble  Servant, 

R.  C. 

To  the  much  Honoured  R.  F.  Esq;1 

To  tell  strange  feats  of  Daemons,  here  I  am; 
Strange,  but  most  true  they  are,  ev'n-to  a  Dram, 
Tho'  Sadduceans  cry,  'tis  all  a  Sham.' 

Here's  Stony  Arg'uments  of  persuasive  Dint, 
They'l  not  believe  it,  told,  nor  yet  in  Print : 
What  should  the  Reason  be?    The  Devil's  in-'t. 

And  yet  they  wish  to  be  convinc'd  by  Sight, 

Assur'd  by  Apparition  of  a  Sprite; 

But  Learned  Brown2  doth  state  the  matter  right : 

Satan  will  never  Instrumental  be 

Of  so  much  Good,  to'  Appear  to  them ;  for  he 

Hath  them  sure  by  their  Infidelity. 

But  you,  my  Noble  Friend,  know  better  things; 

Your  Faith,  mounted  on  Religions  Wings, 

Sets  you  above  the  Clouds  whence  Error  springs. 

1  "R.  F.,  Esq.,"  has  not  been  identified. 

1  Sir  Thomas  Browne.    See  his  Religio  Medici,  pt.  I.,  §  30. 


60  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1682 

Your  Soul  reflecting  on  this  lower  Sphear, 

Of  froth  and  vanity,  joys  oft  to  hear 

The  Sacred  Ora'cles,  where  all  Truths  appear, 

Which  will  Conduct  out  of  this  Labyrinth  of  Night, 
And  lead  you  to  the  source  of  Intellect'ual  Light. 

Which  is  the  Hearty  Prayer  of 

Your  most  faithful  Humble  Servant, 

R.  C. 

Lithobolia:  or,  the  Stone-throwing  Devil,  etc. 

SUCH  is  the  Sceptical  Humour  of  this  Age  for  Incredulity, 
(not  to  say  Infidelity,)  That  I  wonder  they  do  not  take  up 
and  profess,  in  terms,  the  Pyrrhonian  Doctrine  of  disbelieving 
their  very  Senses.  For  that  which  I  am  going  to  relate  hap- 
pening to  cease  in  the  Province  of  New-Hampshire  in  America, 
just  upon  that  Governour's  Arrival  and  Appearance  at  the 
Council  there,  who  was  informed  by  my  self,  and  several  other 
Gentlemen  of  the  Council,  and  other  considerable  Persons,  of 
the  true  and  certain  Reality  hereof,  yet  he  continued  tenacious 
in  the  Opinion  that  we  were  all  imposed  upon  by  the  waggery 
of  some  unlucky  Boys;1  which,  considering  the  Circumstances 
and  Passages  hereafter  mentioned,  was  altogether  impossible. 

I  have  a  Wonder  to  relate;  for  such  (I  take  it)  is  so  to  be 
termed  whatsoever  is  Prseternatural,  and  not  assignable  to, 
or  the  effect  of,  Natural  Causes :  It  is  a  Lithobolia,2  or  Stone- 
throwing,  which  happened  by  Witchcraft  (as  was  supposed) 
and  maliciously  perpetrated  by  an  Elderly  Woman,  a  Neigh- 
bour suspected,  and  (I  think)  formerly  detected  for  such  kind 
of  Diabolical  Tricks  and  Practises;3  and  the  wicked  Instiga- 

1  Edward  Cranfield,  first  royal  governor  of  New  Hampshire.     He  arrived 
in  October,  1682,  and  left  in  June,  1685.     Though  Mason's  nominee,  he  for  some 
time  leaned  to  the  side  of  the  colonists  against  the  methods  of  Mason  and  Cham- 
berlain. 

2  "Lithobolia"  is,  of  course,  only  Greek  for  "stone-throwing." 

1  Who  she  was  it  is  not  hard  to  guess.  On  July  4,  1682,  Hannah  Jones 
begged  the  "advice  and  relief"  of  the  President  and  Council  "in  regard  of  George 
Walton's  dealing  with  her,  who  falsely  accuseth  her  of  what  she  is  clear  of,  and 
hath  so  far  prevailed  that  upon  that  account  your  humble  petitioner  is  bound  in 
a  bond  of  the  peace;  since  which  said  Walton's  horse  breaks  into  her  pasture  and 


1682]  LITHOBOLIA  61 

tion  did  arise  upon  the  account  of  some  small  quantity  of 
Land  in  her  Field,  which  she  pretended  was  unjustly  taken 
into  the  Land  of  the  Person  where  the  Scene  of  this  Matter 
lay,  and  was  her  Right;  she  having  been  often  very  clamor- 
ous about  that  Affair,  and  heard  to  say,  with  much  Bitterness, 
that  her  Neighbour  (innuendo1  the  fore-mentioned  Person, 
his  Name  George  Walton)2  should  never  quietly  injoy  that 

doth  her  damage."  (Provincial  Records,  in  New  Hampshire  Hist.  Soc.,  Collec- 
tions, VIII.  99.)  Of  her  being  "formerly  detected"  in  witchcraft  there  is  no 
record;  but  she  was  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Walford,  and  her  mother,  Jane  Wai- 
ford,  had  in  1656  been  tried  for  witchcraft,  and,  though  cleared,  found  it  necessary 
in  1669  to  bring  an  action  for  slander  against  a  physician  who  again  accused  her. 
(N.  H.  Hist.  Soc.,  Collections,  I.  255-257;  Documents  and  Records  relating  to  the 
Province  of  New  Hampshire,  I.  217-219;  Probate  Records  of  the  Province  of  New 
Hampshire,  I.  87-92,  222-224.)  Jane  Walford  was  now  dead  (Probate  Records, 
I.  92);  but  there  was  reason  enough  for  George  Walton  to  fear  the  malice  of  her 
daughter.  For  Thomas  Walford,  a  blacksmith  who  in  1623  had  come  with 
Gorges  toWeymouth,who  had  later  become  the  earliest  settler  inCharlestown,  and 
who  in  1631,  expelled  from  the  Bay  for  his  Anglican  tenets,  had  found  a  refuge 
at  Portsmouth,  had  prospered  at  last,  and  at  his  death  in  1666  left  to  his  heirs 
broad  acres.  But  these  lands  were  among  those  forfeit  to  the  Mason  claim,  and 
Walton  was  a  buyer.  (Probate  Records,  I.  299,  and  cf.  p.  37,  above,  note  1.)  Now 
that  the  government  was  passing  into  the  hands  of  the  Mason  party,  what  hope 
was  there  except  from  Heaven  or  Hell?  "Your  petitioner,"  prayed  Hannah  Jones, 
"being  under  bond,  knows  not  what  to  do  to  help  herself."  It  was  doubtless 
Secretary  Chamberlain  who  as  a  justice  had  put  her  under  bond;  but  the  planters 
still  had  a  majority  in  the  Council,  and  Goodwife  Jones  was  ordered  to  complain 
to  Captain  Stileman  "if  she  be  at  any  time,  during  her  being  bound  to  the  good 
behavior,  injured  by  the  said  Geo.  Walton."  Her  complaint  came :  on  August  31 
Elizabeth  Clark,  aged  forty-two,  made  affidavit  to  Deputy-President  Stileman 
"that  she  heard  George  Walton  say  that  he  believed  in  his  heart  and  conscience 
that  Grandma  Jones  was  a  witch,  and  would  say  so  to  his  dying  day."  But  Wal- 
ton, too,  had  evidence  to  offer:  on  September  4  Samuel  Clark  testified  "that  he 
was  present  when  Goody  Jones  and  Geo.  Walton  were  talking  together,  and  he 
heard  the  said  Goody  Jones  call  the  said  Walton  a  wizzard,  and  that  she  said,  if 
he  told  her  of  her  mother,  she  would  throw  stones  at  his  head,  and  this  was  on 
Friday,  the  25th  of  August,  1682."  And  other  witnesses  testified  that  on  that 
day  "they  saw  several  stones  to  fly,"  though  they  "saw  no  hand  or  person  to 
throw  them,"  and  that  "the  said  George  Walton  was  hit  several  times."  (Pro- 
vincial Records,  in  N.  H.  Hist  Soc.,  Collections,  VIII.  99-100.)  But  this  is  to 
anticipate  the  relation. 

1  "Hinting  at." 

2  As  to  Walton  see  introduction  and  p.  35,  note  1,  above.     A  letter  from 
the  Rev.  Lucius  Alden,  of  Newcastle,  printed  in  1862  in  the  Historical  Magazine, 
VI.  159,  describes  his  house  and  its  site  and  identifies  other  people  and  places 
mentioned  in  this  narrative. 


62  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1682 

piece  of  Ground.  Which,  as  it  has  confirmed  my  self  and  others 
in  the  Opinion  that  there  are  such  things  as  Witches,  and  the 
Effects  of  Witchcraft,  or  at  least  of  the  mischievous  Actions 
of  Evil  Spirits;  which  some  do  as  little  give  Credit  to,  as  in 
the  Case  of  Witches,  utterly  rejecting  both  their  Operations 
and  their  Beings,  we  having  been  Eye- Witnesses  of  this  Matter 
almost  every  Day  for  a  quarter  of  a  Year  together;  so  it  may 
be  a  means  to  rectifie  the  depraved  Judgment  and  Sentiments 
of  other  disbelieving  Persons,  and  absolutely  convince  them 
of  their  Error,  if  they  please  to  hear,  without  prejudice,  the 
plain,  but  most  true  Narration  of  it;  which  was  thus. 

Some  time  ago  being  in  America  (in  His  then  Majesty's 
Service)  I  was  lodg'd  in  the  said  George  Walton's  House,  a 
Planter  there,  and  on  a  Sunday  Night,1  about  Ten  a  Clock, 
many  Stones  were  heard  by  my  self,  and  the  rest  of  the  Family, 
to  be  thrown,  and  (with  Noise)  hit  against  the  top  and  all 
sides  of  the  House,  after  he  the  said  Walton  had  been  at  his 
Fence-Gate,  which  was  between  him  and  his  Neighbour  one 
John  Amazeen  an  Italian,2  to  view  it;  for  it  was  again,  as 
formerly  it  had  been  (the  manner  how  being  unknown)  wrung 
off  the  Hinges,  and  cast  upon  the  Ground;  and  in  his  being 
there,  and  return  home  with  several  Persons  of  (and  frequent- 
ing) his  family  and  House,  about  a  flight  shot  distant  from 
the  Gate,  they  were  all  assaulted  with  a  peal  of  Stones,  (taken, 
we  conceive,  from  the  Rocks  hard  by  the  House)  and  this  by 
unseen  Hands  or  Agents.  For  by  this  time  I  was  come  down 
to  them,  having  risen  out  of  my  Bed  at  this  strange  Alarm  of 
all  that  were  in  the  House,  and  do  know  that  they  all  look'd 
out  as  narrowly  as  I  did,  or  any  Person  could  (it  being  a  bright 
Moon-light  Night),  but  cou'd  make  no  Discovery.  There- 
upon, and  because  there  came  many  Stones,  and  those  pretty 
great  ones,  some  as  big  as  my  Fist,  into  the  Entry  or  Porch 
of  the  House,  we  withdrew  into  the  next  Room  to  the  Porch, 

1  June  11,  1682.     See  p.  35,  above,  and  Mather  Papers,  p.  361. 

*  "John  the  Greek,"  as  he  was  called,  the  illiterate  constable  of  Great  Island, 
was  one  of  the  most  stubborn  in  refusing  to  pay  dues  to  Mason.  He  had  married 
the  widow  of  Jeremiah  Walford  (Hannah  Jones's  brother)  and  was  the  guardian 
of  his  son  and  estate.  (Probate  Records,  I.  222-224;  Provincial  Records,  in 
N.  H.  Hist.  Soc.,  Collection*,  I.  71,  118.) 


1682]  LITHOBOLIA  63 

no  Person  having  receiv'd  any  Hurt,  (praised  be  Almighty 
Providence,  for  certainly  the  infernal  Agent,  constant  Enemy 
to  Mankind,  had  he  not  been  over-ruled,  intended  no  less  than 
Death  or  Maim)  save  only  that  two  Youths  were  lightly  hit, 
one  on  the  Leg,  the  other  on  the  Thigh,  notwithstanding  the 
Stones  came  so  thick,  and  so  forcibly  against  the  sides  of  so 
narrow  a  Room.  Whilst  we  stood  amazed  at  this  Accident, 
one  of  the  Maidens  imagined  she  saw  them  come  from  the 
Hall,  next  to  that  we  were  in,  where  searching,  (and  in  the 
Cellar,  down  out  of  the  Hall,)  and  finding  no  Body,  another 
and  my  self  observed  two  little  Stones  in  a  short  space  succes- 
sively to  fall  on  the  Floor,  coming  as  from  the  Ceiling  close 
by  us,  and  we  concluded  it  must  necessarily  be  done  by  means 
extraordinary  and  preternatural.  Coming  again  into  the 
Room  where  we  first  were  (next  the  Porch),  we  had  many  of 
these  lapidary  Salutations,  but  unfriendly  ones;  for,  shutting 
the  Door,  it  was  no  small  Surprise  to  me  to  have  a  good  big 
Stone  come  with  great  force  and  noise  (just  by  my  Head) 
against  the  Door  on  the  inside;  and  then  shutting  the  other 
Door,  next  the  JIall,  to  have  the  like  Accident;  so  going  out 
again,  upon  a  necessary  Occasion,  to  have  another  very  near 
my  Body,  clattering  against  the  Board-wall  of  the  House; 
but  it  was  a  much  greater,  to  be  so  near  the  danger  of  having 
my  Head  broke  with  a  Mall,  or  great  Hammer  brushing  along 
the  top  or  roof  of  the  Room  from  the  other  end,  as  I  was  walk- 
ing in  it,  and  lighting  down  by  me;  but  it  fell  so,  that  my 
Landlord  had  the  greatest  damage,  his  Windows  (especially 
those  of  the  first  mention'd  Room)  being  with  many  Stones 
miserably  and  strangely  batter'd,  most  of  the  Stones  giving 
the  Blow  on  the  inside,  and  forcing  the  Bars,  Lead,  and  hasps 
of  the  Casements  outwards,  and  yet  falling  back  (sometimes 
a  Yard  or  two)  into  the  Room;  only  one  little  Stone  we  took 
out  of  the  glass  of  the  Window,  where  it  lodg'd  its  self  in  the 
breaking  it,  in  a  Hole  exactly  fit  for  the  Stone.  The  Pewter 
and  Brass  were  frequently  pelted,  and  sometimes  thrown  down 
upon  the  Ground;  for  the  Evil  Spirit  seemed  then  to  affect 
variety  of  Mischief,  and  diverted  himself  at  this  end  after  he 
had  done  so  much  Execution  at  the  other.  So  were  two  Candle- 
sticks, after  many  hittings,  at  last  struck  off  the  Table  where 
they  stood,  and  likewise  a  large  Pewter  Pot,  with  the  force  of 


64  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1682 

these  Stones.  Some  of  them  were  taken  up  hot,  and  (it  seems) 
immediately  coming  out  of  the  Fire;  and  some  (which  is  not 
unremarkable)  having  been  laid  by  me  upon  the  Table  along 
by  couples,  and  numbred,  were  found  missing;  that  is,  two 
of  them,  as  we  return'd  immediately  to  the  Table,  having 
turn'd  our  backs  only  to  visit  and  view  some  new  Stone-charge 
or  Window-breach ;  and  this  Experiment  was  four  or  five  times 
repeated,  and  I  still  found  one  or  two  missing  of  the  Number, 
which  we  all  mark'd,  when  I  did  but  just  remove  the  Light 
from  off  the  Table,  and  step  to  the  Door,  and  back  again. 

After  this  had  continued  in  all  the  parts  and  sides  of  the 
first  Room  (and  down  the  Chimney)  for  above  four  hours,  I, 
weary  of  the  Noise,  and  sleepy,  went  to  Bed,  and  was  no 
sooner  fallen  asleep,  but  was  awakened  with  the  unwelcome 
disturbance  of  another  Battery  of  a  different  sort,  it  issuing 
with  so  prodigious  a  Noise  against  the  thin  Board-wall  of  my 
Chamber  (which  was  within  another)  that  I  could  not  imagin 
it  less  than  the  fracture  and  downfall  of  great  part  of  the 
Chamber,  or  at  least  of  the  Shelves,  Books,  Pictures,  and  other 
things,  placed  on  that  side,  and  on  the  Partition-Wall  between 
the  Anti-Chamber  and  the  Door  of  mine.  But  the  Noise 
immediately  bringing  up  the  Company  below,  they  assured 
me  no  Mischief  of  that  nature  was  done,  and  shewed  me  the 
biggest  Stone  that  had  as  yet  been  made  use  of  in  this  unac- 
countable Accident,  weighing  eight  pound  and  an  half,  that 
had  burst  open  my  Chamber  Door  with  a  rebound  from  the 
Floor,  as  by  the  Dent  and  Bruise  in  it  near  the  Door  I  found 
next  Morning,  done,  probably,  to  make  the  greater  Noise, 
and  give  the  more  Astonishment,  which  would  sooner  be 
effected  by  three  Motions,  and  consequently  three  several 
Sounds,  viz.  one  on  the  Ground,  the  next  to  and  on  the  Door, 
and  the  last  from  it  again  to  the  Floor,  then  if  it  had  been  one 
single  Blow  upon  the  Door  only;  which  ('tis  probable)  wou'd 
have  split  the  Door,  which  was  not  permitted,  nor  so  much  as 
a  square  of  the  Glass-Window  broken  or  crack'd  (at  that  time) 
in  all  the  Chamber.  Glad  thereof,  and  desiring  them  to  leave 
me,  and  the  Door  shut,  as  it  was  before,  I  endeavoured  once 
more  to  take  my  Rest,  and  was  once  more  prevented  by  the 
like  passage,  with  another  like  offensive  Weapon,  it  being  a 
whole  Brick  that  lay  in  the  anti-Chamber  Chimney,  and  used 


1682]  LITHOBOLIA  65 

again  to  the  same  malicious  purpose  as  before,  and  in  the  same 
manner  too,  as  by  the  mark  in  the  Floor,  whereon  was  some 
of  the  dust  of  the  Brick,  broken  a  little  at  the  end,  apparant 
next  Morning,  the  Brick  it  self  lying  just  at  the  Door.  How- 
ever, after  I  had  lain  a  while,  harkning  to  their  Adventures 
below,  I  drop'd  asleep  again,  and  receiv'd  no  further  Moles- 
tation that  Night. 

In  the  Morning  (Monday  Morning)  I  was  inform'd  by  sev- 
eral of  the  Domesticks  of  more  of  the  same  kind  of  Trouble; 
among  which  the  most  signal  was,  the  Vanishing  of  the  Spit 
which  stood  in  the  Chimney  Corner,  and  the  sudden  coming 
of  it  again  down  the  same  Chimney,  sticking  of  it  in  a  Log 
that  lay  in  the  Fireplace  or  Hearth;  and  then  being  by  one 
of  the  Family  set  by  on  the  other  side  of  the  Chimney,  pres- 
ently cast  out  of  the  Window  into  the  Back-side.  Also  a 
pressing-Iron  lying  on  the  ledge  of  the  Chimney  back,  was 
convey'd  invisibly  into  the  Yard.  I  should  think  it  (too)  not 
unworthy  the  Relation,  that,  discoursing  then  with  some  of 
the  Family,  and  others,  about  what  had  past,  I  said,  I  thought 
it  necessary  to  take  and  keep  the  great  Stone,  as  a  Proof  and 
Evidence,  for  they  had  taken  it  down  from  my  Chambers; 
and  so  I  carried  it  up,  laid  it  on  my  Table  in  my  Chamber, 
and  lock'd  my  Door,  and  going  out  upon  occasions,  and  soon 
returning,  I  was  told  by  my  Landlady  that  it  was,  a  little 
while  after  my  going  forth,  removed  again,  with  a  Noise, 
which  they  all  below  heard,  and  was  thrown  into  the  anti- 
Chamber,  and  there  I  found  it  lying  in  the  middle  of  it ;  there- 
upon I  the  second  time  carried  it  up,  and  laid  it  on  the  Table, 
and  had  it  in  my  Custody  a  long  time  to  show,  for  the  Satis- 
faction of  the  Curious. 

There  were  many  more  Stones  thrown  about  in  the  House 
that  Morning,  and  more  in  the  Fields  that  Day,  where  the 
Master  of  the  House  was,  and  the  Men  at  Work.  Some  more 
Mr.  Woodbridge,1  a  Minister,  and  my  self,  in  the  Afternoon 

1  The  Rev.  Benjamin  Woodbridge,  who  had  begun  in  1680  at  Bristol, 
Rhode  Island,  his  career  as  a  preacher,  but  had  dissatisfied  a  part  of  his  flock 
(Matlier  Papers,  pp.  695-696),  and  seems  to  have  been  seeking  a  fresh  one  in  the 
north.  It  was  through  him  that  Pastor  Moodey  of  Portsmouth  sought,  for 
Increase  Mather's  Providences,  an  account  of  the  happenings  on  Great  Island. 
(See  above,  p.  34,  note  2,  and  Mather  Papers,  p.  360.) 


66  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1682 

did  see  (but  could  not  any  Hand  throwing  them)  lighting  near, 
and  jumping  and  tumbling  on  the  Grass:  So  did  one  Mrs. 
Clark,  and  her  Son,  and  several  others;  and  some  of  them  felt 
them  too.  One  Person  would  not  be  perswaded  but  that  the 
Boys  at  Work  might  throw  them,  and  strait  her  little  Boy 
standing  by  her  was  struck  with  a  Stone  on  the  Back,  which 
caused  him  to  fall  a  crying,  and  her  (being  convinc'd)  to  carry 
him  away  forth-with. 

In  the  Evening,  as  soon  as  I  had  sup'd  in  the  outer  Room 
before  mine,  I  took  a  little  Musical-Instrument,  and  began  to 
touch  it  (the  Door  indeed  was  then  set  open  for  Air),  and  a 
good  big  Stone  came  rumbling  in,  and  as  it  were  to  lead  the 
Dance,  but  upon  a  much  different  account  than  in  the  days 
of  Old,  and  of  old  fabulous  Inchantments,  my  Musick  being 
none  of  the  best.  The  Noise  of  this  brought  up  the  Deputy- 
President's  Wife,1  and  many  others  of  the  Neighbourhood 
that  were  below,  who  wonder'd  to  see  this  Stone  followed  (as 
it  were)  by  many  others,  and  a  Pewter  Spoon  among  the  rest, 
all  which  fell  strangely  into  the  Room  in  their  Presence,  and 
were  taken  up  by  the  Company.  And  beside  all  this,  there 
was  seen  by  two  Youths  in  the  Orchard  and  Fields,  as  they 
said,  a  black  Cat,  at  the  time  the  Stones  were  toss'd  about, 
and  it  was  shot  at,  but  missed,  by  its  changing  Places,  and 
being  immediately  at  some  distance,  and  then  out  of  sight, 
as  they  related :  Agreeable  to  which,  it  may  not  be  improper 
to  insert,  what  was  observed  by  two  Maids,  Grand-Children 
of  Mr.  Walton,  on  the  Sunday  Night,  the  beginning  of  this 
Lithoboly.  They  did  affirm,  that  as  they  were  standing  in 
the  Porch-Chamber  Window,  they  saw,  as  it  were,  a  Person 
putting  out  a  Hand  out  of  the  Hall  Window,  as  throwing  Stones 
toward  the  Porch  or  Entry;  and  we  all  know  no  Person  was 
in  the  Hall  except,  at  that  instant,  my  self  and  another,  having 
search'd  diligently  there,  and  wondring  whence  those  should 
come  that  were  about  the  same  time  drop'd  near  us;  so  far 
we  were  from  doing  it  our  selves,  or  seeing  any  other  there  to 
do  it. 

On  Monday  Night,  about  the  Hour  it  first  began,  there 
were  more  Stones  thrown  in  the  Kitchin,  and  down  the  Chim- 

1  Mrs.  Ellas  Stileman.  Till  the  arrival  of  Governor  Cranfield  President 
Waldron  and  Deputy-President  Stileman  remained  in  power. 


1682]  LITHOBOLIA  67 

ney,  one  Captain  Barefoot,1  of  the  Council  for  that  Province, 
being  present,  with  others;  and  also  (as  I  was  going  up  to 
Bed)  in  an  upper  Chamber,  and  down  those  Stairs. 

Upon  Tuesday  Night,  about  Ten,  some  five  or  six  Stones 
were  severally  thrown  into  the  Maid's  Chamber  near  the 
Kitchin,  and  the  Glass-Windows  broke  in  three  new  places, 
and  one  of  the  Maids  hit  as  she  lay.  At  the  same  time  was 
heard  by  them,  and  two  young  Men  in  the  House,  an  odd, 
dismal  sort  of  Whistling,  and  thereupon  the  Youths  ran  out, 
with  intent  to  take  the  suppos'd  Thrower  of  Stones,  if  possi- 
ble; and  on  the  back-side  near  the  Window  they  heard  the 
Noise  (as  they  said)  of  something  stepping  a  little  way  before 
them,  as  it  were  the  trampling  of  a  young  Colt,  as  they  fan- 
cied, but  saw  nothing;  and  going  on,  could  discover  nothing 
but  that  the  Noise  of  the  stepping  or  trampling  was  ceas'd, 
and  then  gone  on  a  little  before. 

On  Saturday  Morning  I  found  two  Stones  more  on  the 
Stairs;  and  so  some  were  on  Sunday  Night  convey'd  into  the 
Room  next  the  Kitchin. 

Upon  Monday  following  Mr.  Walton  going  (with  his  Men) 
by  Water  to  some  other  Land,  in  a  place  called  the  Great  Bay, 
and  to  a  House  where  his  Son  was  placed,  they  lay  there  that 
Night,  and  the  next  Morning  had  this  Adventure.  As  the 
Men  were  all  at  work  in  the  Woods,  felling  Wood,  they  were 
visited  with  another  set  of  Stones,  and  they  gathered  up  near 
upon  a  Hat-full,  and  put  them  between  two  Trees  near  adjoin- 
ing, and  returning  from  carrying  Wood,  to  the  Boat,  the  Hat 
and  its  contents  (the  Stones)  were  gone,  and  the  Stones  were 
presently  after  thrown  about  again,  as  before;  and  after  search, 
found  the  Hat  press' d  together,  and  lying  under  a  square  piece 
of  Timber  at  some  distance  from  thence.  They  had  them 
again  at  young  Walton's  House,  and  half  a  Brick  thrown  into 
a  Cradle,  out  of  which  his  young  Child  was  newly  taken  up. 

Here  it  may  seem  most  proper  to  inform  the  Reader  of  a 
parallel  passage,  (viz,)  what  happened  another  time  to  my 
Landlord  in  his  Boat;  wherein  going  up  to  the  same  place 

1  The  bluff  and  jovial  Walter  Barefoot,  physician,  politician,  speculator, 
rescuer  of  Quakers  and  horror  of  Puritans,  soon  to  be  commandant,  judge,  acting 
governor,  and  at  this  moment  as  deputy  collector  especially  obnoxious  to  the 
Massachusetts  party,  is  well  known  to  all  students  of  New  Hampshire  history. 


68  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1682 

(the  Great  Bay)  and  loading  it  with  Hay  for  his  use  at  his  own 
House,  about  the  mid- way  in  the  River  (Pascataqua)1  he  found 
his  Boat  began  to  be  in  a  sinking  Condition,  at  which  being 
much  surpriz'd,  upon  search,  he  discover'd  the  cause  to  be 
the  pulling  out  a  Plug  or  Stopple  in  the  bottom  of  the  Boat, 
being  fixed  there  for  the  more  convenient  letting  out  of  the 
Rain-Water  that  might  fall  into  it;  a  Contrivance  and  Com- 
bination of  the  old  Serpent  and  the  old  Woman,  or  some  other 
Witch  or  Wizard  (in  Revenge  or  innate  Enmity)  to  have 
drown'd  both  my  good  Landlord  and  his  Company. 

On  Wednesday,  as  they  were  at  work  again  in  the  Woods, 
on  a  sudden  they  heard  something  gingle  like  Glass,  or  Metal, 
among  the  Trees,  as  it  was  falling,  and  being  fallen  to  the 
Ground,  they  knew  it  to  be  a  Stirrup  which  Mr.  Walton  had 
carried  to  the  Boat,  and  laid  under  some  Wood ;  and  this  being 
again  laid  by  him  in  that  very  Boat,  it  was  again  thrown  after 
him.  The  third  time,  he  having  put  it  upon  his  Girdle  or 
Belt  he  wore  about  his  Waste,  buckled  together  before,  but 
at  that  instant  taken  off  because  of  the  Heat  of  the  Weather, 
and  laid  there  again  buckled,  it  was  fetch'd  away,  and  no  more 
seen.  Likewise  the  Graper,  or  little  Anchor  of  the  Boat,  cast 
over-board,  which  caus'd  the  Boat  to  wind  up;  so  staying 
and  obstructing  their  Passage.  Then  the  setting-Pole  was 
divers  times  cast  into  the  River,  as  they  were  coming  back 
from  the  Great  Bay,  which  put  them  to  the  trouble  of  Padling, 
that  is,  rowing  about  for  it  as  often  to  retrieve  it. 

Being  come  to  his  own  House,  this  Mr.  Walton  was  charg'd 
again  with  a  fresh  Assault  in  the  out-Houses;  but  we  heard  of 
none  within  doors  until  Friday  after,  when,  in  the  Kitchin, 
were  4  or  5  Stones  (one  of  them  hot)  taken  out  of  the  Fire,  as 
I  conceive,  and  so  thrown  about.  I  was  then  present,  being 
newly  come  in  with  Mr.  Walton  from  his  middle  Field  (as  he 
call'd  it),  where  his  Servants  had  been  Mowing,  and  had  six 
or  seven  of  his  old  troublesome  Companions,  and  I  had  one 
falTn  down  by  me  there,  and  another  thin  flat  Stone  hit  me  on 
the  Thigh  with  the  flat  side  of  it,  so  as  to  make  me  just  feel, 
and  to  smart  a  little.  In  the  same  Day's  Evening,  as  I  was 
walking  out  in  the  Lane  by  the  Field  before-mentioned,  a 
great  Stone  made  a  rusling  Noise  in  the  Stone-Fence  between 

1  The  Piscataqua. 


1682]  LITHOBOLIA  69 

the  Field  and  the  Lane,  which  seem'd  to  me  (as  it  caus'd  me 
to  cast  my  Eye  that  way  by  the  Noise)  to  come  out  of  the 
Fence,  as  it  were  pulFd  out  from  among  those  Stones  loose, 
but  orderly  laid  close  together,  as  the  manner  of  such  Fences 
in  that  Country  is,  and  so  fell  down  upon  the  Ground.  Some 
Persons  of  Note  being  then  in  the  Field  (whose  Names  are 
here  under-written)  to  visit  Mr.  Walton  there,  are  substan- 
tial Witnesses  of  this  same  Stonery,  both  in  the  Field,  and 
afterward  in  the  House  that  Night,  viz.  one  Mr.  Hussey,  Son 
of  a  Counsellour  there.1  He  took  up  one  that  having  first 
alighted  on  the  Ground,  with  rebound  from  thence  hit  him  on 
the  Heel;  and  he  keeps  it  to  show.  And  Captain  Barefoot, 
mentioned  above,  has  that  which  (among  other  Stones)  flew 
into  the  Hall  a  little  before  Supper;  which  my  self  also  saw  as 
it  first  came  in  at  the  upper  part  of  the  Door  into  the  middle 
of  the  Room;  and  then  (tho'  a  good  flat  Stone,  yet)  was  seen 
to  rowl  over  and  over,  as  if  trundled,  under  a  Bed  in  the  same 
Room.  In  short,  these  Persons,  being  wonderously  affected 
with  the  Strangeness  of  these  Passages,  offer'd  themselves 
(desiring  me  to  take  them)  as  Testimonies;  I  did  so,  and 
made  a  Memorandum,  by  way  of  Record,  thereof,  to  this 
effect.  Viz. 

These  Persons  under-written  do  hereby  Attest  the  Truth  of 
their  being  Eye-Witnesses  of  at  least  half  a  score  Stones 
that  Evening  thrown  invisibly  into  the  Field,  and  in  the 
Entry  of  the  House,  Hall,  and  one  of  the  Chambers  of 
George  Walton's.  Viz. 

SAMUEL  JENNINGS,  Esq ;  Governour  of  West-Jarsey. 

WALTER  CLARK,  Esq ;  Deputy-Governour  of  Road-Island. 

Mr.  ARTHUR  COOK. 

Mr.  MATT.  BORDEN  of  Road-Island. 

Mr.  OLIVER  HOOTON  of  Barbados,  Merchant. 

Mr.  T.  MAUL  of  Salem  in  New-England,  Merchant. 

Captain  WALTER  BAREFOOT. 

Mr.  JOHN  HUSSEY. 

And  the  Wife  of  the  said  Mr.  Hussey.2 

1  Of  Christopher  Hussey,  of  Hampton. 

2  The  governors  of  West  Jersey  and  Rhode  Island  are  sufficiently  identified  by 
their  titles.    Both  were  Quakers,  as  were  all  the  others  excepting  Barefoot.     Cook 


70  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1682 

On  Saturday,  July1  24,  One  of  the  Family,  at  the  usual 
hour  at  Night,  observ'd  some  few  (not  above  half  a  dozen) 
of  these  natural  (or  rather  unnatural)  Weapons  to  fly  into  the 
Kitchin,  as  formerly;  but  some  of  them  in  an  unusual  manner 
lighting  gently  on  him,  or  coming  toward  him  so  easily,  as 
that  he  took  them  before  they  fell  to  the  Ground.  I  think 
there  was  not  any  thing  more  that  Night  remarkable.  But 
as  if  the  malicious  Daemon  had  laid  up  for  Sunday  and  Monday, 
then  it  was  that  he  began  (more  furiously  than  formerly) 
with  a  great  Stone  in  the  Kitchin,  and  so  continued  with 
throwing  down  the  Pewter-Dishes,  etc.  great  part  of  it  all  at 
once  coming  clattering  down,  without  the  stroke  of  a  Stone, 
little  or  great,  to  move  it.  Then  about  Midnight  this  im- 
pious Operation  not  ceasing,  but  trespassing  with  a  continu- 
ando,1*  2  very  great  Stones,  weighing  above  30  pound  a  piece 
(that  used  to  lye  hi  the  Kitchin,  in  or  near  the  Chimny)  were 
in  the  former,  wonted,  rebounding  manner,  let  fly  against  my 
Door  and  Wall  in  the  ante-Chamber,  but  with  some  little 
distance  of  time.  This  thundring  Noise  must  needs  bring 
up  the  Men  from  below,  as  before,  (I  need  not  say  to  wake  me) 
to  tell  me  the  Effect,  which  was  the  beating  down  several 
Pictures,  and  displacing  abundance  of  things  about  my  Cham- 
ber: but  the  Repetition  of  this  Cannon-Play  by  these  great 
rumbling  Engines,  now  ready  at  hand  for  the  purpose,  and  the 
like  additional  disturbance  by  four  Bricks  that  lay  in  the 
outer-Room  Chimney  (one  of  which  having  been  so  imploy'd 
the  first  Sunday  Night,  as  has  been  said)  made  me  despair 
of  taking  Rest,  and  so  forced  me  to  rise  from  my  Bed.  Then 
finding  my  Door  burst  open,  I  also  found  many  Stones,  and 
great  pieces  of  Bricks,  to  fly  in,  breaking  the  Glass- Windows, 
and  a  Paper-Light,  sometimes  inwards,  sometimes  outwards: 
So  hitting  the  Door  of  my  Chamber  as  I  came  through  from 
the  ante-Chamber,  lighting  very  near  me  as  I  was  fetching 
the  Candlestick,  and  afterward  the  Candle  being  struck  out, 
as  I  was  going  to  light  it  again.  So  a  little  after,  coming  up 

was  a  Philadelphian;  Thomas  Maule,  the  Salem  merchant  who  was  later  (1695) 
to  stir  such  fury  in  Massachusetts  by  his  arraignment  of  the  Puritan  regime. 
What  Maule  thought  of j  witchcraft  must  be  gathered  not  only  from  his  own 
book,  but  from  that  of  his  Beverly  neighbor,  the  Rev.  John  Hale,  pp.  155-161. 
1  June.  *  A  "to  be  continued." 


1682]  LITHOBOLIA  71 

for  another  Candle,  and  being  at  the  Stare-foot  door,  a  wooden 
Mortar  with  great  Noise  struck  against  the  Floor,  and  was 
just  at  my  Feet,  only  not  touching  me,  moving  from  the  other 
end  of  the  Kitchin  where  it  used  to  lye.  And  when  I  came  up 
my  self,  and  two  more  of  the  same  House,  we  heard  a  Whistling, 
as  it  were  near  us  in  the  outer  Room,  several  times.  Among 
the  rest  of  the  Tools  made  use  of  to  disturb  us,  I  found  an  old 
Card  for  dressing  Flax  in  my  Chamber.  Now  for  Monday 
Night,  (June  26)  one  of  the  severest.  The  disturbance  began 
in  the  Kitchin  with  Stones;  then  as  I  was  at  Supper  above  in 
the  ante-Chamber,  the  Window  near  which  I  sate  at  Table 
was  broke  in  2  or  3  parts  of  it  inwards,  and  one  of  the  Stones 
that  broke  it  flew  in,  and  I  took  it  up  at  the  further  end  of  the 
Room.  The  manner  is  observable;  for  one  of  the  squares 
was  broke  into  9  or  10  small  square  pieces,  as  if  it  had  been 
regularly  mark'd  out  into  such  even  squares  by  a  Workman, 
to  the  end  some  of  these  little  pieces  might  fly  in  my  Face 
(as  they  did)  and  give  me  a  surprize,  but  without  any  hurt.  In 
the  mean  time  it  went  on  in  the  Kitchin,  whither  I  went 
down,  for  Company,  all  or  most  of  the  Family,  and  a  Neigh- 
bour, being  there;  where  many  Stones  (some  great  ones) 
came  thick  and  threefold  among  us,  and  an  old  howing  Iron,1 
from  a  Room  hard  by,  where  such  Utensils  lay.  Then,  as  if 
I  had  been  the  design'd  Object  for  that  time,  most  of  the  Stones 
that  came  (the  smaller  I  mean)  hit  me  (sometimes  pretty  hard) 
to  the  number  of  above  20,  near  30,  as  I  remember,  and  whether 
I  remov'd,  sit,  or  walk'd,  I  had  them,  and  great  ones  sometimes 
lighting  gently  on  me,  and  in  my  Hand  and  Lap  as  I  sate, 
and  falling  to  the  Ground,  and  sometimes  thumping  against 
the  Wall,  as  near  as  could  be  to  me,  without  touching  me. 
Then  was  a-  Room  over  the  Kitchin  infested,  that  had  not 
been  so  before,  and  many  Stones  greater  than  usual  lumbring 
there  over  our  Heads,  not  only  to  ours,  but  to  the  great  Dis- 
turbance and  Affrightment  of  some  Children  that  lay  there. 
And  for  Variety,  there  were  sometimes  three  great,  distinct 
Knocks,  sometimes  five  such  sounds  as  with  a  great  Maul, 
reiterated  divers  times. 

On  Tuesday  Night  (June  28)  we  were  quiet;   but  not  so 
on  Wednesday,  when  the  Stones  were  play'd  about  in  the  House. 

1  A  hoeing-iron — the  metal  part  of  a  hoe. 


72  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1682 

And  on  Thursday  Morning  I  found  some  things  that  hung  on 
Nails  on  the  Wall  in  my  Chamber,  viz.  a  Spherical  Sun-Dial, 
etc.  lying  on  the  Ground,  as  knock'd  down  by  some  Brick  or 
Stone  in  the  ante-Chamber.  But  my  Landlord  had  the  worst 
of  that  Day,  tho'  he  kept  the  Field,  being  there  invisibly  hit 
above  40  times,  as  he  affirm'd  to  me,  and  he  receiv'd  some 
shrowd1  hurtful  Blows  on  the  Back,  and  other  Parts,  which 
he  much  complained  of,  and  said  he  thought  he  should  have 
reason  to  do,  even  to  his  dying  day;  and  I  observ'd  that  he 
did  so,  he  being  departed  this  Life  since.* 

Besides  this,  Plants  of  Indian  Corn  were  struck  up  by  the 
Roots  almost,  just  as  if  they  had  been  cut  with  some  edged 
Instrument,  whereas  re  vera?  they  were  seen  to  be  eradicated, 
or  rooted  up  with  nothing  but  the  very  Stones,  altho'  the  in- 
jurious Agent  was  altogether  unseen.  And  a  sort  of  Noise, 
like  that  of  Snorting  and  Whistling,  was  heard  near  the  Men 
at  Work  in  the  Fields  many  times,  many  whereof  I  my  self, 
going  thither,  and  being  there,  was  a  Witness  of;  and  parting 
thence  I  receiv'd  a  pretty  hard  Blow  with  a  Stone  on  the  Calf 
of  my  Leg.  So  it  continued  that  day  in  two  Fields,  where 
they  were  severally  at  Work:  and  my  Landlord  told  me,  he 
often  heard  likewise  a  humming  Noise  in  the  Air  by  him,  as 
of  a  Bullet  discharg'd  from  a  Gun;  and  so  said  a  Servant  of 
his  that  work'd  with  him. 

Upon  Saturday  (July  1),  as  I  was  going  to  visit  my  Neigh- 
bour Capt.  Barefoot,  and  just  at  his  Door,  his  Man  saw,  as 
well  as  my  self,  3  or  4  Stones  fall  just  by  us  in  the  Field,  or 
Close,  where  the  House  stands,  and  not  any  other  Person  near 
us.  At  Night  a  great  Stone  fell  in  the  Kitchin,  as  I  was  going 
to  Bed,  and  the  Pewter  was  thrown  down;  many  Stones  flew 
about,  and  the  Candles  by  them  put  out  3  or  4  times,  and  the 
Snorting  heard;  a  Negro  Maid  hit  on  the  Head  in  the  Entry 
between  the  Kitchin  and  Hall  with  a  Porringer  from  the 
Kitchin :  also  the  pressing-Iron  clattered  against  the  Partition 
Wall  between  the  Hall  and  a  Chamber  beyond  it,  where  I  lay, 
and  Mr.  Randolph,4  His  Majesty's  Officer  for  the  Customs,  etc. 

Some  few  Stones  we  had  on  Sunday  Morning,  (July  2) 

1  Shrewd,  t.  e.,  sharp.  *  Early  in  1686.  »  "In  fact." 

4  Edward  Randolph,  arch-foe  of  the  Massachusetts  theocracy  and  for  more 
than  a  dozen  years  (1676-1689)  chief  inspirer  of  the  royal  policy  as  to  the  colonies. 


1682]  LITHOBOLIA  73 

none  at  Night:  But  on  Monday  Morning  (the  3d)  both  Mr. 
Walton,  and  5  or  6  with  him  in  the  Field,  were  assaulted  with 
them,  and  their  Ears  with  the  old  Snorting  and  Whistling. 
In  the  Afternoon  Mr.  Walton  was  hit  on  the  Back  with  Stones 
very  grievously,  as  he  was  in  his  Boat  that  lay  at  a  Cove 
side  by  his  House.  It  was  a  very  odd  prank  that  was  prac- 
tis'd  by  the  Devil  a  little  while  after  this.  One  Night  the 
Cocks  of  Hay,  made  the  Day  before  in  the  Orchard,  was 
spread  all  abroad,  and  some  of  the  Hay  thrown  up  into  the 
Trees,  and  some  of  it  brought  into  the  House,  and  scatter'd. 
Two  Logs  that  lay  at  the  Door,  laid,  one  of  them  by  the 
Chimny  in  the  Kitchin;  the  other  set  against  the  Door  of  the 
Room  where  Mr.  Walton  then  lay,  as  on  purpose  to  confine 
him  therein:  A  Form  that  stood  in  the  Entry  (or  Porch) 
was  set  along  by  the  Fire  side,  and  a  joint  Stool  upon  that, 
with  a  Napking  spread  thereon,  with  two  Pewter  Pots,  and 
two  Candlesticks:  A  Cheese-Press  likewise  having  a  Spit 
thrust  into  one  of  the  holes  of  it,  at  one  end;  and  at  the  other 
end  of  the  Spit  hung  an  Iron  Kettle;  and  a  Cheese  was  taken 
out,  and  broke  to  pieces.  Another  time,  I  full  well  remember 
'twas  on  a  Sunday  at  Night,  my  Window  was  all  broke  with 
a  violent  shock  of  Stones  and  Brick-bats,  which  scarce  miss'd 
my  self :  among  these  one  huge  one  made  its  way  through  the 
great  square  or  shash  of  a  Casement,  and  broke  a  great  hole 
in  it,  throwing  down  Books  by  the  way,  from  the  Window  to  a 
Picture  over-against  it,  on  the  other  side  of  the  Chamber, 
and  tore  a  hole  quite  through  it  about  half  a  foot  long,  and  the 
piece  of  the  Cloth  hung  by  a  little  part  of  it,  on  the  back-side 
of  the  Picture. 

Alter  this  we  were  pretty  quiet,1  saving  now  and  then  a 
few  Stones  march'd  about  for  Exercise,  and  to  keep  (as  it 
were)  the  Diabolical  hand  in  use,  till  July  28,  being  Friday, 
when  about  40  Stones  flew  about,  abroad,  and  in  the  House 
and  Orchard,  and  among  the  Trees  therein,  and  a  Window 
broke  before,  was  broke  again,  and  one  Room  where  they 
never  used  before. 

August  1 .  On  Wednesday  the  Window  in  my  ante-Chamber 
was  broke  again,  and  many  Stones  were  plaid  about,  abroad, 

1  It  will  be  remembered  that  about  this  time  Hannah  Jones  was  put  under 
bond.  See  pp.  60-61,  note  3. 


74          NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1682 

and  in  the  House,  in  the  Day-time,  and  at  Night.  The  same 
Day  in  the  Morning  they  tried  this  Experiment;  they  did  set 
on  the  Fire  a  Pot  with  Urin,  and  crooked  Pins  in  it,  with 
design  to  have  it  boil,  and  by  that  means  to  give  Punishment 
to  the  Witch,  or  Wizard  (that  might  be  the  wicked  Procurer 
or  Contriver  of  this  Stone  Affliction)  and  take  off  their  own; 
as  they  had  been  advised.  This  was  the  Effect  of  it :  As  the 
Liquor  begun  to  grow  hot,  a  Stone  came  and  broke  the  top  or 
mouth  of  it,  and  threw  it  down,  and  spilt  what  was  in  it; 
which  being  made  good  again,  another  Stone,  as  the  Pot  grew 
hot  again,  broke  the  handle  off;  and  being  recruited  and  fill'd 
the  third  tune,  was  then  with  a  third  Stone  quite  broke  to 
pieces  and  split;  and  so  the  Operation  became  frustrate  and 
fruitless. 

On  August  2,  two  Stones  in  the  Afternoon  I  heard  and  saw 
my  self  in  the  House  and  Orchard;  and  another  Window  in 
the  Hall  was  broke.  And  as  I  was  entring  my  own  Chamber, 
a  great  square  of  a  Casement,  being  a  foot  square,  was  broke, 
with  the  Noise  as  of  a  big  Stone,  and  pieces  of  the  Glass  flew 
into  the  Room,  but  no  Stone  came  in  then,  or  could  be  found 
within  or  without.  At  Night,  as  I,  with  others,  were  in  the 
Kitchin,  many  more  came  in;  and  one  great  Stone  that  lay 
on  a  Spinning- Wheel  to  keep  it  steady,  was  thrown  to  the  other 
side  of  the  Room.  Several  Neighbours  then  present  were 
ready  to  testifie  this  Matter. 

Upon  August  3,  On  Thursday  the  Gate  between  my  said 
Landlord  and  his  Neighbour  John  Amazeen  was  taken  off 
again,  and  thrown  into  Amazeen's  Field,  who  heard  it  fall, 
and  averr'd  it  then  made  a  Noise  like  a  great  Gun. 

On  Friday  the  4th,  the  Fence  against  Mr.  Walton's  Neigh- 
bour's Door,  (the  Woman  of  whom  formerly  there  was  great 
Suspicion,  and  thereupon  Examination  had,  as  appears  upon 
Record;)  this  Fence  being  maliciously  pull'd  down  to  let  in 
their  Cattel  into  his  Ground ;  he  and  his  Servants  were  pelted 
with  above  40  Stones  as  they  went  to  put  it  up  again ;  for  she 
had  often  threatned  that  he  should  never  in  joy  his  House  and 
Land.1  Mr.  Walton  was  hit  divers  times,  and  all  that  Day 
in  the  Field,  as  they  were  Reaping,  it  ceas'd  not,  and  their 
fell  (by  the  Mens  Computation)  above  an  hundred  Stones. 

1  See  p.  37,  note  1.   Walton  had  doubtless  fenced  in  the  land  in  controversy. 


1682]  '  LITHOBOLIA  75 

A  Woman  helping  to  Reap  (among  the  rest)  was  hit  9  or  10 
times,  and  hurt  to  that  degree,  that  her  left  Arm,  Hip,  Thigh, 
and  Leg,  were  made  black  and  blue  therewith;  which  she 
showd  to  the  Woman,1  Mrs.  Walton,  and  others.  Mr.  Wood- 
bridge,2  a  Divine,  coming  to  give  me  a  Visit,  was  hit  about 
the  Hip,  and  one  Mr.  Jefferys  a  Merchant,3  who  was  with  him, 
on  the  Leg.  A  Window  in  the  Kitchin  that  had  been  much 
batter'd  before,  was  now  quite  broke  out,  and  unwindow'd, 
no  Glass  or  Lead  at  all  being  left:  a  Glass  Bottle  broke  to 
pieces,  and  the  Pewter  Dishes  (about  9  of  them)  thrown  down, 
and  bent. 

On  Saturday  the  5th,  as  they  were  Reaping  in  the  Field, 
three  Sickles  were  crack' d  and  broke  by  the  force  of  these 
lapidary  Instruments  of  the  Devil,  as  the  Sickles  were  in  the 
Reapers  hands,  on  purpose  (it  seems)  to  obstruct  their  Labour, 
and  do  them  Injury  and  Damage.  And  very  many  Stones 
were  cast  about  that  Day;  insomuch,  that  some  that  assisted 
at  that  Harvest-Work,  being  struck  with  them,  by  reason  of 
that  Disturbance  left  the  Field,  but  were  follow' d  by  their 
invisible  Adversaries  to  the  next  House. 

On  Sunday,  being  the  6th,  there  fell  nothing  considerable, 
nor  on  Monday,  (7th)  save  only  one  of  the  Children  hit  with  a 
Stone  on  the  Back.  We  were  quiet  to  Tuesday  the  8th.  But 
on  Wednesday  (9th)  above  100  Stones  (as  they  verily  thought) 
repeated  the  Reapers  Disquiet  in  the  Corn-Field,  whereof 
some  were  affirm'd  by  Mr.  Walton  to  be  great  ones  indeed, 
near  as  big  as  a  Man's  Head;  and  Mrs.  Walton,  his  Wife 
being  by  Curiosity  led  thither,  with  intent  also  to  make  some 
Discovery  by  the  most  diligent  and  vigilant  Observation  she 
could  use,  to  obviate  the  idle  Incredulity  some  inconsiderate 
Persons  might  irrationally  entertain  concerning  this  venefical* 
Operation;  or  at  least  to  confirm  her  own  Sentiments  and 
Belief  of  it.  Which  she  did,  but  to  her  Cost;  for  she  received 
an  untoward  Blow  (with  a  Stone)  on  her  Shoulder.  There 
were  likewise  two  Sickles  bent,  crack' d,  and  disabled  with  them, 
beating  them  violently  out  of  their  Hands  that  held  them; 
and  this  reiterated  three  times  successively. 

1 1.  e.,  to  Hannah  Jones.  J  See  p.  65,  note  1, 

3  George  Jeffrey,  or  Jaffrey,  of  Great  Island. 

4  Sorcerous — from  the  Latin  venefica,  a  witch, 


76  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1682 

After  this  we  injoy'd  our  former  Peace  and  Quiet,  un- 
molested by  these  stony  Disturbances,  that  whole  month  of 
August,  excepting  some  few  times;  and  the  last  of  all  in  the 
Month  of  September,  (the  beginning  thereof)  wherein  Mr. 
Walton  himself  only  (the  Original  perhaps  of  this  strange 
Adventure,  as  has  been  declared)  was  the  designed  conclud- 
ing Sufferer;  who  going  in  his  Canoo  (or  Boat)  from  the  Great 
Island,  where  he  dwelt,  to  Portsmouth,  to  attend  the  Council, 
who  had  taken  Cognizance  of  this  Matter,1  he  being  Summoned 
thither,  in  order  to  his  and  the  Suspect's  Examination,  and  the 
Courts  taking  Order  thereabout,  he  was  sadly  hit  with  three 
pebble  Stones  as  big  as  ones  Fist;  one  of  which  broke  his  Head, 
which  I  saw  him  show  to  the  President  of  the  Council;  the 
others  gave  him  that  Pain  on  the  Back,  of  which  (with  other 
like  Strokes)  he  complained  then,  and  afterward  to  his  Death.2 

Who,  that  peruses  these  praeternatural  Occurrences,  can 
possibly  be  so  much  an  Enemy  to  his  own  Soul,  and  irrefutable 
Reason,  as  obstinately  to  oppose  himself  to,  or  confusedly 
fluctuate  in,  the  Opinion  and  Doctrine  of  Daemons,  or  Spirits, 
and  Witches?  Certainly  he  that  do's  so,  must  do  two  things 

1  See  pp.  60-61,  note  3. 

1  What  order  the  courts  took  thereabout  does  not  appear  from  the  extant 
records;  but  that  Hannah  Jones  was  not  punished  may  be  inferred  from  our 
author's  silence.  As  to  the  land  dispute,  it  is  recorded  that  in  December,  1682, 
John  Amazeen,  the  constable,  with  his  step-son  Jeremiah  Walford  and  others, 
came  with  a  warrant  from  Captain  Stileman  and  arrested  George  Walton  and  his 
helpers  for  wood-cutting  on  the  lands  granted  him  by  Mason;  and  that,  though 
Walton  carried  it  to  the  courts  and  offered  evidence  that  some  of  the  wood  cut 
for  him  had  been  seen  in  John  Amazeen's  yard,  the  jury  found  for  the  defendants' 
cost  of  court.  Walton  appealed  to  the  King  in  Council — Walford  and  Amazeen, 
so  wrote  Secretary  Chamberlain,  claiming  by  a  town  grant  of  1658  and  "the  jury 
being  all  of  them  possessed  of  lands  by  virtue  of  town  grants";  but,  though  he 
gave  Edward  Randolph  power  of  attorney  to  prosecute,  the  appeal  was  in  1684 
dismissed.  (Provincial  Records,  in  N.  H.  Hist.  Soc.,  Collections,  VIII.  118,  and 
Calendar  of  State  Papers,  America  and  West  Indies,  1681-1685,  passim.)  At 
home,  however,  John  Amazeen  saw  himself  made  an  example  of,  his  live-stock 
levied  on,  and  himself  thrown  into  prison  for  his  refusal  of  dues  to  Mason.  Cham- 
berlain lost  his  secretaryship  with  the  change  of  government  in  1686,  but  remained 
as  clerk  of  the  courts  till  1689,  when,  with  the  collapse  of  the  Andros  administra- 
tion, he  seems  to  have  returned  to  England.  (Vaughan's  Journal,  in  N.  H.  Hist. 
Soc.,  Collections,  VIII.  187;  N.  H.  Prov.  Papers,  I.  590,  600;  Mass.  Hist.  Soc., 
Proceedings,  XVII.  227.) 


1682]  LITHOBOLIA  77 

more:  He  must  temerariously  unhinge,  or  undermine  the 
Fundamentals  of  the  best  Religion  in  the  World;  and  he  must 
disingenuously  quit  and  abandon  that  of  the  Three  Theologick 
Virtues  or  Graces,  to  which  the  great  Doctor  of  the  Gentils 
gave  the  Precedence,  Charity,  through  his  Unchristian  and 
Uncharitable  Incredulity. 

Finis. 


INTRODUCTION 

AT  a  first  glance  the  utterances  of  the  early  Friends  in 
Europe  and  America  do  not  suggest  a  difference,  in  their  be- 
liefs as  to  witchcraft,  from  those  of  the  Puritan  world  about 
them.  George  Fox  thought  himself  endowed  with  a  divine 
power  for  the  detection  of  witches,  and  tells  us  himself  how  he 
turned  from  his  path  to  tell  a  group  of  women  that  they  were 
in  the  spirit  of  witchcraft  or  rebuked  in  open  meeting  those 
he  discerned  to  be  under  the  power  of  an  evil  spirit.1  Richard 
Farnworth,  long  his  chief  lieutenant,  put  forth  in  1655  a 
printed  discourse  "as  a  Judgment  upon  Witchcraft,  and  a 
deniall,  testimony,  and  declaration  against  Witchcraft  from 
those  that  the  world  reproachfully  calleth  Quakers,"2  and 
Fox  himself  in  1657  devoted  one  largely  to  "the  ground  of 
Inchantings  and  seducing  Spirits"  and  "of  Nicromancy, 
which  doth  defile  Witches  and  Wizards."3  We  have  just 
met  a  New  England  Quaker  as  an  accuser,  and  more  than 
one  gave  testimony  against  the  Salem  witches.  Even  those 

^ee  pp.  20-21  of  the  Witchcraft  and  Quakerism  (Philadelphia,  1908)  of 
Mrs.  Amelia  Mott  Gummere,  who  quotes  from  the  original  MS.  of  Fox's  journal. 

2  His  anonymously  published  Witchcraft  Cast  out  from  the  Religious  Seed  and 
Israel  of  God  (London,  1655). 

3  His  A  Declaration  of  the  Ground  of  Error  .   .   .  and  the  Ground  of  Inchant- 
ings and  Seducing  Spirits,  and  the  Doctrine  of  Devils,  the  Sons  of  Sorcerers,  and  the 
Seed  of  the  Adulterer,  and  the  Ground  of  Nicromancy,  which  doth  defile  Witches  and 
Wizards  (London,  1657).     But  this  book,  like  Farnworth's,  is  mainly  a  dissuasive 
from  fortune-telling  or  the  use  of  it.     How  slow  was  Fox's  spirit  to  the  darker 
suspicions  of  the  witch-haters  may  best  be  gathered  from  his  appeal  "to  the 
Masters  of  Ships  and  Seamen"  (1676),  wherein  he  dissuades  them  from  the  hasty 
ascription  of  storms  to  witchcraft;  "and  let  New  England  professors  [of  religion] 
see  whether  or  no  they  have  not  sometimes  cast  some  poor  simple  people  into  the 
sea  on  pretence  of  being  witches." 

81 


82  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 


Bishop,  a  Whiting — who  reviled  their  Puritan  foes  taunt 
them  with  Satan's  besetments  as  if  these  were  undoubted. 
It  is  only  William  Sewel,  born  and  reared  in  Holland,  whom 
we  find  translating  into  Dutch  an  English  attack  on  the 
superstition.1 

But  at  bottom,  from  the  first,  their  gentle  mysticism  had 
in  its  universe  no  place  for  the  arch-fiend  of  Orthodoxy.  What 
Richard  Farnworth  so  fiercely  repudiates  is  only  fortune- 
telling.  If  George  Fox  exclaims  "Arise,  children  of  God,  and 
suffer  not  the  Witch  to  live,"  it  appears  in  a  moment  that  by 
"the  Witch"  he  means  only  the  sin  of  divination,  and  that 
"every  one  that  dwells  in  the  spirit  of  God  doth  cut  it  off." 

As  for  William  Penn,  born  to  wealth  and  culture,  son  of  a 
Dutch  mother  and  in  closest  touch  with  the  enlightened 
mystics  of  the  Continent,  there  is  in  his  writings  scarce  a 
trace  of  the  current  demonology;  and  the  motley  crowd  of 
heretics  and  free-thinkers  whom  his  tolerant  prospectus 
tempted  to  join  his  Quakers  for  the  peopling  of  his  colony  on 
the  Delaware  were  perhaps  as  little  prone  to  faith  in  Satan. 
In  the  laws  agreed  upon  in  England  between  the  proprietor 
and  his  colonists,  in  May  of  1681,  the  long  list  of  "Offences 
against  God"  which  "draw  his  wrath  upon  magistrates"  and 
"provoke  his  indignation  against  a  country"  contains  no  men- 
tion of  those  dealings  with  Satan  so  long  deemed  the  direst  in- 
sults to  his  majesty;2  and  the  "Great  Law"  enacted  by  the 

1  The  Doctrine  of  Devils  proved  to  be  the  Grand  Apottacy  of  these  Later 
Times  (London,  1676).     The  English  original  bears  no  author's  name,  but  its 
Dutch  title-page  ascribes  it  to  "N.  Orchard,  Predikant  in  Nieuw-Engeland." 
There  is,  however,  nothing  in  the  work  to  suggest  an  American  authorship,  unless 
it  be  the  passage  (p.  189)  where,  speaking  of  the  vogue  in  Christendom  of  legends 
of  the  supernatural,  the  writer  says  that  "the  most  part  of  Europe,  Asia,  and 
Africa  resounded  with  them  (and  now  yet  too-taking  in  America)."     If  the  author 
came  to  America,  it  was  doubtless  after  writing  it,  and  more  probably  to  the 
middle  or  southern  colonies,  then  often  included  by  Europeans  under  the  name 
of  New  England. 

2  Gracissimum  et  omnium  criminum  maximum  est,  Crimen  laesae  Majestatis 
divinae,  "the  gravest  and  greatest  of  all  crimes  is  treason  against  God,"  says 


INTRODUCTION  83 

provincial  assembly,  under  Penn's  presidency,  in  the  winter 
of  1682-1683,  though  it  regulates  minutely  the  morals  of  the 
colonists,  has  never  a  word  as  to  witchcraft.  The  charter 
indeed  prescribed,  as  in  the  other  colonies,  that  colonial  laws 
should  be  agreeable,  "so  far  as  conveniently  may  be,"  with  the 
laws  of  England;  but  this  implied  no  validity  for  English 
statutes  unless  expressly  adopted  by  the  provincial  legislature; 
and,  as  for  witchcraft,  it  was  not  till  1717,  with  the  fall  of 
Penn's  power,  that  under  Governor  Keith  the  statute  of 
James  I.  was  with  other  English  criminal  laws,  by  formal 
action  of  the  Pennsylvania  assembly,  "put  in  execution  in 
this  province." 

But  the  Swedish  peasants  who  long  before  the  arrival  of 
Penn's  colony  had  established  themselves  on  the  farther  bank 
of  the  Delaware,  and  now  came  with  their  lands  beneath  his 
rule,  knew  little  enough  of  the  growing  rationalism  of  the 
seventeenth  century;  and  it  was  these  (speaking  still  among 
themselves  their  own  vernacular,  and  needing,  as  we  shall  see, 
an  interpreter  between  them  and  their  new  landlord)  who, 
during  Penn's  first  visit,  brought  in  his  court  at  Philadelphia 
the  one  action  for  witchcraft  known  to  Pennsylvania  records.1 
The  indictment,  unhappily,  is  not  preserved;  but,  as  harm 
wrought  by  witchcraft  to  person  or  to  property  could  of  course, 

Damhouder,  the  great  Flemish  jurist  whose  handbook  of  criminal  law  had  been 
the  prescribed  authority  in  the  colony  on  the  Delaware  until  that  colony  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  English;  and  witchcraft  he  makes  the  culmination  of  this  crime. 
1  The  nationality  of  the  accused  is  clear  from  their  names,  and  "Lasse  Cock," 
the  councilman  who  served  them  as  interpreter,  is  well  known  as  a  Swede.  Of  the 
witnesses  named,  "Vanculin"  ("Coolin,"  "Cooling")  was  of  course  of  Dutch 
stock,  and  Drystreet,  Sanderlin,  Ashcom,  of  English.  All  these  names  are 
familiar  to  the  records  of  the  "Court  at  Upland"  (Chester),  the  tribunal  for  this 
district  prior  to  Penn's  coming;  and  its  entries  show  these  families  established 
on  the  west  bank  of  the  Delaware  a  little  above  Chester.  (See  Record  of  Upland 
Court,  1676-1681,  in  vol.  VII.  of  the  Memoirs  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, pp.  91-125.)  As  to  the  extraction  of  these  colonists  and  the  superstitions 
prevalent  among  them,  see  Amandus  Johnson,  The  Swedish  Settlements  on  the 
Delaware,  passim,  and  especially  pp.  28,  543-545. 


84  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

like  harm  by  any  other  means,  be  punished,  if  provable,  under 
the  general  statutes,  it  must  be  assumed  that  these,  and  not 
the  semi-religious  law  of  James,  were  the  basis  of  the  prose- 
cution. It  is  the  extant  records  of  this  case,1  with  that  of  a 
more  trifling  later  episode,  which  here  must  serve  us  for  a 
Pennsylvania  narrative. 

1  Here  reprinted  from  the  Minutes  of  the  Provincial  Council  of  Pennsylvania, 
I.  (Philadelphia,  1852),  pp.  93-96.  From  this  source  they  have  been  borrowed 
by  Smith,  History  of  Delaioare  County,  Pennsylvania  (Philadelphia,  1862),  pp. 
152-153,  and  doubtless  by  others. 


THE  CASES  OF  MATTSON,  HENDRICKSON, 
AND  GUARD 

Alt  a  Councill  held  at  Philadelphia  the  7th  12th  Mo.,  1683.1 

Present : 

Wm.  Penn,  Prop'or2  and  Govr. 

Lasse  Cock,  Jno.  Symcock,  Tho.  Holmes. 

Wm.  Clayton. 

Margaret  Mattson  and  Yeshro3  Hendrickson,  Examined 
and  about  to  be  proved  Witches;  whereupon,  this  board  Or- 
dered that  Neels  Matson  should  Enter  into  a  recognizance  of 
fifty  pounds  for  his  Wiff's  appearance  before  this  board  the 
27th  Instant.  Hendrick  Jacobson4  doth  the  same  for  his  Wife. 

Adjourned  till  the  20th  12th  Mo.,  83. 

Ait  a  Councill  held  at  Philadelphia  the  27th  of  the  12th  month, 

1683.* 

Present : 

Wm.  Penn,  Prop'or  and  Govr. 

James  Harrison,  Wm.  Haigue,  Wm.  Clayton, 

Wm.  Biles,  Chris.  Taylor,  Tho:  Holmes. 

Lasse  Cock, 

The  Grand  Jury  being  attested,  The  Govr  gave  them  their 
Charge,  and  the  Atturney  Gen[er]all  attended  them  with  the 
presentmt;  their  names  are  as  followed: 
Robt  Euer,  foreman.       Rich.  Orne,  Tho:  Mosse, 

Samll  Carpenter,  Jno.  Day,  Tho:  Ducket, 

Andrew  Griscom,  Jno.  Fisher,  Denis  Lince, 

Benj.  Whitehead,  Jno.  Barnes.  Tho:  Phillyps, 

1  /.  e.,  February  7,  1684 :  March  had  by  formal  enactment  been  made 
"First  Month." 

1  Proprietor.  » /.  e.,  Gertrude.    Cf.  p.  87. 

4 1.  e.,  Jacob  Hendrickson— see  p.  87.  5  February  27,  1684. 

85 


86  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1684 

Jno.  Barnes,  Gunner  Rambo,         Tho:  Millard, 

Samll  Allen,  Enock  Flower,  Jno.  Yattman, 

Jno.  Parsons.  Henr:  Drystreet.       Baraaby  Wilcox. 

Post  Meridiem. 

The  Grand  Jury  made  their  returne,  and  found  the  Bill. 

Ordered  that  those  that  were  absent  of  the  Petty  Jury 
should  be  fined  40s  each  man. 

Margarit  Matson's  Indictmt  was  read,  and  she  pleads  not 
Guilty,  and  will  be  tryed  by  the  Countrey. 

Lasse  Cock  attested  Interpriter  between  the  Prop'or  and 
the  Prisoner  at  the  Barr. 

The  Petty  Jury  Impanneld ;  their  names  are  as  followed : 
Jno.  Hasting,  foreman.  Albertus  Hendrickson,  Robt  Piles, 
Robt  Wade,  Nath.  Evans,  Edwd  Darter, 

Wm  Hewes,  Jer.  Collet,  Jno.  Kinsman, 

Jno.  Gibbons,  Walter  Martin,  Edw  Bezac. 

Henry  Drystreet  attested,  Saith  he  was  tould  20  years  agoe, 
that  the  prisoner  at  the  Barr  was  a  WTitch,  and  that  several! 
Cows  were  bewitcht  by  her;  also,  that  James  Saunderling's 
mother  tould  him  that  she  bewitcht  her  cow,  but  afterwards 
said  it  was  a  mistake,  and  that  her  Cow  should  doe  well  againe, 
for  it  was  not  her  Cow  but  an  Other  Person's  that  should  dye. 

Charles  Ashcom  attested,  saith  that  Anthony's  Wife  being 
asked  why  she  sould  her  Cattle,  was  because  her  mother  had 
Bewitcht  them,  having  taken  the  Witchcraft  of1  Hendrick's2 
Cattle,  and  put  it  on  their  Oxon;  She  myght  Keep3  but  noe 
Other  Cattle,  and  also  that  one  night  the  Daughter  of  the 
Prisoner  called  him  up  hastely,  and  when  he  came  she  sayd 
there  was  a  great  Light  but  Just  before,  and  an  Old  woman 
with  a  Knife  in  her  hand  at  the  Bedd's  feet,  and  therefore  shee 
cryed  out  and  desired  Jno.  Symcock  to  take  away  his  Calves 
or  Else  she  would  send  them  to  Hell. 

James  Claypoole  attested  Interpritor  betwixt  the  Prop'or 
and  the  Prisoner. 

The  affidavid  of  Jno.  Vanculin  read,  Charles  Ashcom  being 
a  Witness  to  it. 

1  Off.  » Hendrickson's. 

»  Clearly  a  word  is  here  omitted — perhaps  "cows," 


PENNSYLVANIA  CASES  87 

Annakey  Coolin  attested,  saith  her  husband  tooke  the 
Heart  of  a  Calfe  that  Dyed,  as  they  thought,  by  Witchcraft, 
and  Boyled  it,  wherupon  the  Prisoner  at  the  Ban*  came  in  and 
asked  them  what  they  were  doing;  they  said  boyling  of  flesh; 
she  said  they  had  better  they  had  Boyled  the  Bones,  with 
severall  other  unseemly  Expressions. 

Magaret  Mattson  saith  that  she  Vallues  not  Drystreet's 
Evidence;  but  if  Sanderlin's  mother  had  come,  she  would  have 
answered  her;  also  denyeth  Charles  Aschom's  Attestation  at  her 
Soul,  and  Saith  where  is  my  Daughter;  let  her  come  and  say  so. 

Annakey  Cooling's  attestation  concerning  the  Gees,  she  de- 
nyeth, saying  she  was  never  out  of  her  Conoo,1  and  also  that 
she  never  said  any  such  things  Concerning  the  Calve's  heart. 

Jno.  Cock  attested,  sayth  he  Knows  nothing  of  the  matter. 

Tho:  Balding's  attestation  was  read,  and  Tho:  Bracy  at- 
tested, saith  it  is  a  True  coppy. 

The  Prisoner  denyeth  all  things,  and  saith  that  the  Wit- 
nesses speaks  only  by  hear  say. 

After  wch  the  Govr  gave  the  jury  their  Charge  concerning 
the  Prisoner  at  the  Barr. 

The  jury  went  forth,  and  upon  then*  Returne  Brought  her 
in  Guilty  of  haveing  the  Comon  fame  of  a  witch,  but  not  guilty 
in  manner  and  forme  as  Shee  stands  Indicted.2 

Neels  Mattson  and  Antho.  Neelson3  Enters  into  a  Recog- 
nizance of  fifty  pounds  apeice,  for  the  good  behavior  of  Mar- 
garet Matson  for  six  months. 

Jacob  Hendrickson  Enters  into  the  Recognizance  of  fifty 
pounds  for  the  good  behavior  of  Getro  Hendrickson  for  six 
months. 

Adjourned  till  the  20th  day  of  the  first  Mo.,  1684.4 

1  Canoe. 

J  The  tact  and  quiet  humor  of  this  verdict  should  need  no  pointing  out; 
but  it  has  sometimes  been  oddly  misunderstood. 

*  "Antho.  Neelson"  was  very  probably  a  son  of  Neels  and  Margaret  Matt- 
son:  here  still,  as  in  the  home-land,  Scandinavian  surnames  were  often  not 
hereditary,  but  changed  with  every  generation,  so  that  a  son  of  Neels  (Cornelius) 
Mattson  might  be  surnamed,  not  Mattson,  but  Neelson  (the  Swedish  Nilssan, 
English  Nelson).  The  assumption  of  Smith  (History  of  Delaware  County,  pp.  153, 
488)  that  he  was  a  son-in-law  is  perhaps  due  only  to  ignorance  of  this  usage. 

4  Thus  ended  in  the  colony,  so  far  as  Pennsylvania  records  show,  the  crim- 
inal prosecution  of  witches.  But  in  1696  a  young  Quaker  who  had  incurred  the 


Esq'rs.  Humpry  Murray,  >  Esq'rs. 

Caleb  Pusey, 


88  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1701 

At  a  Council  held  at  Philadelphia  the  2lst  of  3  Afo,1  1701. 

Present: 

The  Propritary  and  Governour.* 

Edwd.  Shippen,  Thos.  Story, 

Saml.  Carpenter, 

Griffith  Owen, 

A  Petition  of  Robt.  Guard  and  his  Wife  being  read,  setting 
forth  That  a  Certain  Strange  Woman  lately  arrived  in  this 
Town  being  Seized  with  a  very  Sudden  illness  after  she  had 
been  in  their  Company  on  the  17th  Instant,  and  Several  Pins 
being  taken  out  of  her  Breasts,  One  John  Richards,  Butcher, 
and  his  Wife  Ann,  charged  the  Petitrs  with  Witchcraft,  and  as 
being  the  Authors  of  the  Said  Mischief;  and  therefore,  Desire 
their  Accusers  might  be  sent  for,  in  Order  either  to  prove  their 
Charge,  or  that  they  might  be  acquitted,  they  Suffering  much 
in  their  Reputation,  and  by  that  means  in  their  Trade. 

Ordered,  that  the  Said  John  and  Ann  Richards  be  sent  for; 
who  appearing,  the  matter  was  inquired  into,  and  being  found 
trifling,  was  Dismissed.3 

discipline  of  his  Quarterly  Meeting  for  practising  divination  was  presented  by 
the  grand  jury  to  the  county  court,  fined  by  the  court,  and  forbidden  to  repeat 
his  magical  practices  (see  Smith,  History  of  Delaware  County,  pp.  192-194;  Gum- 
mere,  Witchcraft  and  Quakerism,  Philadelphia,  1908,  pp.  40-47).  And  in  1701, 
while  Penn  was  once  more  in  the  colony  (November,  1699-November,  1701), 
there  occurred  the  episode  next  to  be  narrated.  It  is  reprinted  from  the  Minutes 
of  the  Provincial  Council  of  Pennsylvania,  II.  20. 

1  May  21.  » William  Penn. 

1  That  even  in  Pennsylvania  there  came  a  time  when,  under  less  calm  guid- 
ance, a  witch-panic  was  possible,  is  suggested  by  the  following  news  item  sent 
from  Philadelphia  on  July  21,  1787,  and  published  in  the  Massachusetts  Centinel 
of  August  1:  "It  must  seriously  affect  every  human  mind  that  in  consequence 
of  the  barbarous  treatment  lately  suffered  by  the  poor  old  woman,  called  a  witch, 
she  died  on  Wednesday  last.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  every  step  will  be  taken  to 
bring  the  offenders  to  punishment  in  justice  to  the  wretched  victim,  as  well  as 
the  violated  laws  of  reason  and  society."  The  item  is  pointed  out  to  the  editor 
by  a  colleague  just  as  this  volume  goes  to  press. 


MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES,  RELATING  TO 
WITCHCRAFTS  AND  POSSESSIONS,  BY 
COTTON  MATHER,  1689 


INTRODUCTION 

MUCH  less  than  even  his  illustrious  father  does  the  Rev. 
Cotton  Mather  (1662-1728)  need  here  an  introduction.  His 
name  and  his  personality  are  a  commonplace  in  American  his- 
tory and  literature.  Opinion  regarding  him  has  indeed  gone 
widely  asunder;  but,  if  he  has  found  severe  critics,  he  has  also 
found  able  defenders.  One  of  these,  Mr.  Barrett  Wendell, 
has  told  his  story  almost  wholly  in  his  own  words;1  and  the 
little  book  is  not  only  of  rare  charm,  but,  though  apology,  of 
no  small  degree  of  frankness.  It  may  be  commended  to  all 
who  would  see  Cotton  Mather  with  his  own  eyes.  His  rela- 
tions with  witchcraft  have  been  debated  at  especial  length 
and  with  a  wealth  of  knowledge  by  Mr.  C.  W.  Upham  and  Mr. 
W.  F.  Poole.2  But  the  reader  of  this  volume  hardly  needs 
such  help:  the  evidence  in  almost  all  its  fullness  lies  before 
him. 

The  setting  of  Cotton  Mather's  life  may  be  sketched  in  a 
word.  Son  of  Increase  Mather,  grandson  of  John  Cotton, 
precocious  both  in  learning  and  in  piety,  he  was  from  boyhood 
— if  ever  he  had  a  boyhood — the  rising  hope  of  Massachusetts 
orthodoxy.  All  his  life  of  answering  to  that  hope  was  spent 

1  Cotton  Mather:  the  Puritan  Priest  (Boston,  1891). 

a  By  Mr.  Upham  in  his  Salem  Witchcraft  (Boston,  1867)  and  his  "Salem 
Witchcraft  and  Cotton  Mather"  (Historical  Magazine,  V.);  Mr.  Poole  in  his 
"Cotton  Mather  and  Salem  Witchcraft"  (North  American  Review,  CVIII.)  and 
his  chapter  on  "Witchcraft  at  Boston"  (Memorial  History  of  Boston,  II.).  To 
these  should  perhaps  be  added  Mr.  George  H.  Moore's  pungent  Notes  on  the 
Bibliography  of  Witchcraft  in  Massachusetts  (American  Antiquarian  Society, 
Proceedings,  new  series,  V.);  and  of  prime  importance  to  the  student  is  the 
Diary  of  Cotton  Mather  (Mass.  Hist.  Soc.,  Collections,  seventh  series,  VIL,  VIII.), 
with  the  able  notes  of  its  editor,  Mr.  Worthington  C.  Ford, 

91 


92  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1689 

in  one  long  pastorate,  that  of  the  North  Church,  his  father's 
church,  his  father  his  associate  almost  to  the  end.  But  pastor 
to  him  meant  also  student,  politician,  much  besides. 

The  Memorable  Providences  was  among  his  earliest  books: 
he  was  only  twenty-seven  at  its  publication.  It  was  twice 
reprinted — in  1691  at  London,  under  the  changed  title  of  Late 
Memorable  Providences,  with  an  added  "  recommendation " 
by  Richard  Baxter,  and  in  1697  at  Edinburgh,  under  the  old 
title.1 

1  What  seems  in  the  list  of  Sibley  (Harvard  Graduates,  III.  50)  and  in  Sabin 
a  reimpression  of  the  book  in  1690  with  his  Speedy  Repentance  Urged  proves  (on 
collation  kindly  made  by  the  librarians  of  the  John  Carter  Brown  library)  to  be 
only  a  copy  of  the  latter  work  bound  up  somewhat  confusedly  with  a  defective 
copy  of  the  Memorable  Providences  (1689). 


MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES 

Memorable  Providences,  Relating  to  Witchcrafts  And  Possessions. 
A  Faithful  Account  of  many  Wonderful  and  Surprising 
Things,  that  have  befallen  several  Bewitched  and  Possessed 
Persons  in  New-England.  Particularly^  A  Narrative  of 
the  marvellous  Trouble  and  Releef  Experienced  by  a  pious 
Family  in  Boston,  very  lately  and  sadly  molested  with  Evil 
Spirits. 

Thereunto  is  added,  a  Discourse  delivered  unto  a  Congregation 
in  Boston,  on  the  Occasion  of  that  Illustrious  Providence. 
As  also  a  Discourse  delivered  unto  the  same  Congregation; 
on  the  occasion  of  an  horrible  Self-Murder  Committed  in  the 
Town.  With  an  Appendix,  in  vindication  of  a  Chapter  in 
a  late  Book  of  Remarkable  Providences,  from  the  Calumnies 
of  a  Quaker  at  Pen-silvania. 

rritten  by  Cotton  Mather,  Minister  of  the  Gospel,  and  Recom- 
mended by  the  Ministers  of  Boston  and  Charleston.1 

^rinted  at  Boston  in  N.  England  by  R.  P.  1689.  Sold  by 
Joseph  Brunning,  at  his  Shop  at  the  Corner  of  the  Prison- 
Lane  next  the  Exchange.2 

To  the  Honourable  Wait  Winthrop  Esq;3 

BY  the  special  Disposal  and  Providence  of  the  Almighty 
k>d,  there  now  comes  abroad  into  the  world  a  little  History 

1  Charlestown. 

'Title-page  of  the  original. 

1  Wait  Winthrop  (1643-1717),  son  of  Governor  John  Winthrop  of  Connecti- 
cut and  grandson  of  Governor  John  Winthrop  of  Massachusetts,  was  himself  a 
man  of  weight  in  New  England — jurist,  member  of  the  Massachusetts  council, 
major-general  of  the  provincial  forces.  We  shall  meet  him  as  a  member  of  the 
court  at  the  Salem  trials  of  1692. 

93 


94  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1689 

of  several  very  astonishing  Witchcrafts  and  Possessions,  which 
partly  my  own  Ocular  Observation,  and  partly  my  undoubted 
Information,  hath  enabled  me  to  offer  unto  the  publick  Notice 
of  my  Neighbours.  It  must  be  the  Subject,  and  not  the  Man- 
ner or  the  Author  of  this  Writing,  that  has  made  any  people 
desire  its  Publication;  For  there  are  such  obvious  Defects  in 
Both,  as  would  render  me  very  unreasonable,  if  I  should  wish 
about  This  or  Any  Composure  of  mine,  0  That  it  were  printed 
in  a  book!  But  tho  there  want  not  Faults  in  the  Discourse, 
to  give  me  Discontent  enough,  my  Displeasure  at  them  will  be 
recompensed  by  the  Satisfaction  I  take  in  my  Dedication  of  it; 
which  I  now  no  less  properly  than  cheerfully  make  unto  Your 
Self;  whom  I  reckon  among  the  Best  of  my  Friends,  and  the 
Ablest  of  my  Readers.  Your  Knowledge  has  Qualified  You 
to  make  those  Reflections  on  the  following  Relations,  which 
few  can  Think,  and  tis  not  fit  that  all  should  See.  How  far  the 
Platonic  Notions  of  Daemons  which  were,  it  may  be,  much 
more  espoused  by  those  primitive  Christians  and  Scholars  that 
we  call  The  Fathers,  than  they  seem  countenanced  in  the  en- 
suing Narratives,  are  to  be  allow'd  by  a  serious  man,  your 
Scriptural  Divinity,  join'd  with  Your  most  Rational  Phi- 
losophy, will  help  You  to  judge  at  an  uncommon  rate.  Had 
I  on  the  Occasion  before  me  handled  the  Doctrin  of  Daemons, 
or  lanched  forth  into  Speculations  about  magical  Mysteries, 
I  might  have  made  some  Ostentation,  that  I  have  read  some- 
thing and  thought  a  little  in  my  time;  but  it  would  neither 
have  been  Convenient  for  me,  nor  Profitable  for  those  plain 
Folkes,  whose  Edification  I  have  all  along  aimed  at.  I  have 
therefore  here  but  briefly  touch't  every  thing  with  an  American 
Pen;  a  Pen  which  your  Desert  likewise  has  further  Entitled 
You  to  the  utmost  Expressions  of  Respect  and  Honour  from. 
Though  I  have  no  Commission,  yet  I  am  sure  I  shall  meet  with 
no  Crimination,  if  I  here  publickly  wish  You  all  manner  of 
Happiness,  in  the  Name  of  the  great  Multitudes  whom/you 
have  laid  under  everlasting  Obligations.  Wherefore  in  the 
name  of  the  many  hundred  Sick  people,  whom  your  charitable 
and  skilful  Hands  have  most  freely  dispens'd  your  no  less 
generous  than  secret  Medicines  to;  and  in  the  name  of  Your 
whole  Countrey,  which  hath  long  had  cause  to  believe  that 
you  will  succeed  Your  Honourable  Father  and  Grandfather, 


1689]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  95 

in  successful  Endeavours  for  our  Welfare;  I  say,  In  their 
Name,  I  now  do  wish  you  all  the  Prosperity  of  them  that  love 
Jerusalem.  And  whereas  it  hath  been  sometimes  observed, 
That  the  Genius  of  an  Author  is  commonly  Discovered  in  the 
Dedicatory  Epistle,  I  shall  be  content  if  this  Dedicatory 
Epistle  of  mine,  have  now  discovered  me  to  be, 
(Sir)  Your  sincere  and  very  humble  Servant, 

C.  MATHER. 

To  the  Reader. 

THE  old  Heresy  of  the  sensual  Sadducees,  denying  the 
Being  of  Angels  either  good  or  evil,  died  not  with  them;  nor 
will  it,  whiles  men  (abandoning  both  Faith  and  Reason)  count 
it  their  wisdom  to  credit  nothing  but  what  they  see  and  feel. 
How  much  this  fond  opinion  has  gotten  ground  in  this  de- 
bauched Age  is  awfully  observable;  and  what  a  dangerous 
stroak  it  gives  to  settle  men  in  Atheism,  is  not  hard  to  discern. 
God  is  therefore  pleased  (besides  the  witness  born  to  this 
Truth  in  Sacred  Writ)  to  suffer  Devils  sometimes  to  do  such 
things  in  the  world  as  shall  stop  the  mouth  of  gainsayers,  and 
extort  a  Confession  from  them. 

It  has  also  been  made  a  doubt  by  some,  whether  there  are 
any  such  things  as  Witches,  i.  e.,  Such  as  by  Contract  or  Ex- 
plicit Covenant  with  the  Devil,  improve,  or  rather  are  improved 
by  him  to  the  doing  of  things  strange  in  themselves,  and  be- 
sides their  natural  Course.  But  (besides  that  the  Word  of 
God  assures  us  that  there  have  been  such,  and  gives  order 
about  them)  no  Age  passes  without  some  apparent  Demon- 
stration of  it.  For,  Though  it  be  Folly  to  impute  every  dubi- 
ous Accident,  or  unwonted  Effect  of  Providence,  to  Witch- 
craft; yet  there  are  some  things  which  cannot  be  excepted 
against,  but  must  be  ascribed  hither. 

Angels  and  Men  not  being  made  for  civil  Converse  together 
in  this  world;  and  all  Communion  with  Devils  being  inter- 
dicted us;  their  Nature  also  being  spiritual,  and  the  Word  of 
God  having  said  so  little  in  that  particular  concerning  their 
way  of  Acting;  hence  it  is  that  we  can  disclose  but  a  little  of 
those  Mysteries  of  Darkness;  all  reports  that  are  from  them- 
selves, or  their  Instruments,  being  to  be  esteemed  as  Illusion? , 


96  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1689 

or  at  least  covered  with  Deceit,  filled  with  the  Impostures  of 
the  Father  of  Lies;  and  the  effects  which'  come  under  our 
consideration  being  Mysterious,  rather  Posing  than  Inform- 
ing us. 

The  Secrets  also  of  God's  Providence,  in  permitting  Satan 
and  his  Instruments  to  molest  His  children,  not  in  their  Es- 
tates only,  but  in  their  Persons  and  their  Posterity  too,  are 
part  of  His  Judgments  that  are  unsearchable,  and  His  Wayes 
that  are  past  finding  out;  only  this  we  have  good  Assurance 
for,  that  they  are  among  the  All  things  that  work  together  for 
their  good.  Their  Graces  are  hereby  tried,  their  Uprightness 
is  made  known,  their  Faith  and  Patience  have  their  perfect 
work. 

Among  the  many  Instances  that  have  been  of  this  kind, 
That  which  is  Recorded  in  this  Narrative,  is  worthy  to  be 
commended  to  the  Notice  of  Mankind,  it  being  a  thing  in 
it  self  full  of  Memorable  passages,  and  faithfully  recorded, 
according  to  the  Truth  in  Matter  of  Fact,  scarce  any  Instance 
being  asserted  in  it,  but  what  hath  the  Evidence  of  many 
credible  Witnesses,  did  need  require.  Among  others  who  had 
frequent  Occasions  to  observe  these  things,  the  Reverend 
Author  of  this  short  History,  was  spirited  to  be  more  than 
ordinarily  engaged  in  attending,  and  making  particular  Re- 
marks upon  the  several  passages  occurring  therein,  and  hath 
accordingly  written  very  little  besides  what  Himself  was  an 
eye-witness  of,  together  with  others,  and  the  rest  was  gathered 
up  with  much  Accuracy  and  Caution. 

Its  needless  for  us  to  insist  upon  the  Commendation  either 
of  the  Author  or  the  Work;  the  former  is  known  in  the  Churches, 
the  latter  will  speak  sufficiently  for  it  self.  All  that  we  shall 
offer  to  stay  the  Reader  from  passing  over  to  satisfy  himself  in 
that  which  follows,  is  only  thus  much,  Viz.,  That  the  follow- 
ing Account  will  afford  to  him  that  shall  read  with  Observation, 
a  further  clear  Confirmation,  That,  There  is  both  a  God,  and 
a  Devil,  and  Witchcraft:  That,  There  is  no  out-ward  Afflic- 
tion, but  what  God  may  (and  sometimes  doth)  permit  Satan 
to  trouble  His  people  withal :  That,  The  Malice  of  Satan  and 
his  Instruments,  is  very  great  against  the  Children  of  God: 
That,  The  clearest  Gospel-Light  shining  in  a  place,  will  not 
keep  some  from  entring  hellish  Contracts  with  infernal  Spirits : 


1689]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  97 

That,  Prayer  is  a  powerful  and  effectual  Remedy  against  the 
malicious  practises  of  Devils  and  those  in  Covenant  with  them : 
That,  They  who  will  obtain  such  Mercies  of  God,  must  pray 
unto  Perseverance :  That,  God  often  gives  to  His  people  some 
apparent  Encouragements  to  their  Faith  in  Prayer,  tho 
He  does  not  presently  perfect  the  Deliverance  sought  for: 
That,  God's  Grace  is  able  to  support  His  Children,  and  pre- 
serve their  Grace  firm,  under  sorest  and  Continuing  Troubles : 
That,  Those  who  refuse  the  Temptation  to  use  doubtful  or 
Diabolical  Courses,  to  get  the  Assaults  of  the  Devil  and  his 
Agents  removed,  Choosing  to  Recommend  all  to  God,  and 
rather  to  endure  Affliction,  than  to  have  it  Removed  to 
His  Dishonour,  and  the  wounding  of  their  own  Consciences, 
never  had  cause  to  repent  of  it  in  the  end. 

And  if  these  observations,  together  with  the  solemn  Im- 
provement made  of  this  stupend1  Providence,  in  the  perti- 
nent and  Judicious  Sermons  annexed,  may  but  obtain  a  due 
Impression  on  the  hearts  of  such  as  shall  peruse  them,  whether 
young  or  old;  as  therein  will  be  their  profit,  so  shall  their 
Labour  turn  to  the  Praise  of  God,  fully  satisfie  the  Author  for 
all  his  Care  and  Industry,  and  answer  his  sincere  Aims:  for 
which  good  Success  we  Commend  it  to  the  Blessing  of  God,  to 
be  followed  with  the  importunate  Prayers  of  us,  who  have 
been  Eye-  and  Ear-witnesses  of  many  of  the  most  considerable 
things  Related  in  the  ensuing  Narrative. 

CHARLES  MORTON. 

JAMES  ALLEN. 

JOSHUA  MOODEY. 

SAMUEL  WiLLARD.2 

The  Introduction. 

IT  was  once  the  Mistake  of  one  gone  to  the  Congregation 
of  the  Dead,  concerning  the  Survivers,  //  one  went  unto  them 

Stupendous:  this  shorter  spelling  (cf.  "reverend")  was  then  current. 

2  Morton  was  minister  of  Charlestown,  Allen  of  the  First  Church  in  Boston, 
where  Moodey,  driven  from  Portsmouth  (see  pp.  31,  34,  and  187,  note  3),  was 
now  his  associate,  and  Willard  (see  pp.  21,  22,  184,  and  186,  note  3)  of  the 
South  Church.  The  North  Church,  the  only  other,  was  Mather's  own;  and  his 
father,  who  was  his  colleague  there,  was  now  in  England.  Moodey  had  himself, 
in  a  letter  to  Increase  Mather  of  October  4,  1688  (Mather  Papers,  pp.  367^ 
368),  written  a  brief  account  of  the  bewitchment  of  the  Goodwin  childreq, 


98  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

from  Af  dead,  Aey  vM  repent.  The  blessed  God  hath  made 
some  to  come  from  the  Damned,  for  the  Conviction  (may  it 
aho  be  for  the  Conversion)  of  us  that  are  yet  alive.  The 
Devils  thfiiwhes  are  by  Compulsion  come  to  confute  the 
Atheism  and  Sadducism,  and  to  reprove  the  Madness  of  un- 
godly men.  Those  condemned  prisoners  of  our  Atmosphere 
have  not  realty  sent  Letters  of  Thanks  from  Hell,  to  those  that 
are  on  Earth,  promoting  of  their  Interest,  yet  they  have  been 
forced,  as  of  old.  To  confess  that  Jesus  was  the  Holy  one  of 
God,  so  of  late,  to  declare  that  Sin  and  Vice  are  the  things 
which  they  are  delighted  in.  But  should  one  of  those  hideous 
Wights  appear  visibly  with  fiery  chains  upon  him,  and  utter 
fy  his  roarings  and  his  warnings  in  one  of  our  Congrega- 


rt  would  not  produce  new  Hearts  in  those  whom  the 
Sciiptuica  handled  in  our  Ministry  do  not  affect.  However  it 
becomes  the  Embassadors  of  the  L.1  Jesus  to  leave  no  stroke 
untouch't  that  may  conduce  to  bring  men  from  the  power  of 
Satan  unto  God;  and  for  this  cause  it  is,  that  I  have  permitted 
the  t**mng  Histories  to  be  published.  They  contain  Things 
of  undoubted  Certainty,  and  they  suggest  Things  of  Impor- 
tance uneoneeiveable.  Indeed  they  are  only  one  Head  of  Col- 
lections which  in  my  tittle  time  of  Observation  I  have  made  of 
Memorable  Providences,  with  Reflections  thereupon,  to  be 
reserved  among  other  effects  of  my  Diversion  from  my  more 
stated  and  more  weary  Studies.  But  I  can  with  a  Content- 
ment beyond  meer  Patience  give  these  rescinded  Sheets  unto 
the  Stationer,  when  I  see  what  pains  Mr.  Baxter,5  Mr.  Glan- 
vfl,a  Dr.  More,4  and  several  other  Great  Names  have  taken 
to  publish  Histories  of  Witchcrafts  and  Possessions  unto  the 
world.  I  said,  Let  me  also  run  after  them :  and  this  with  the 
more  Alacrity  because,  I  have  tidings  ready.  Go  then,  my 
tittle  Book,  as  a  Lackey*  to  the  more  elaborate  Essayes  of 


The  Cer- 
1601;  but,  as  he 
the  Atheists,  Sad- 
ure  of  the  Reality 
he  had  far 


4  Hear?  Mote  (see  p.  5,  above). 


aVJBJ         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  FRQYIDESCIS 

those  leaned  no.  Go  tell  Mankind,  that  there  are  Denb 
and  Witches;  and  that  tho  those  miff*  lank  least  appear 

where  the  Day-light  of  the  Gospel  comes,  yet  Xew-EngL  has 
had  Exemples  of  their  Existence  and  Operation;  and  that  not 
only  the  Wigwams  of  T-ruBa^  where  the  pagan  PwMsaf 
often  raise  their  mafltrn*,*  in  the  iitaprn  of  Bean  and  Snakes 
and  fires,  bat  the  Houses  of  naiajianm,  where  oar  God  has 
had  Hip  constant  Worship-  have  mult  jgnai  the  Annoyance  of 
Evil  spirits.  Go  tell  the  world.  What  Prayers  can  do  beyond 
all  Devils  and  Witches,  and  What  it  is  that  these  Me 


love  to  do :  and  though  the  Damons  in  the  ^•rP*>IMi*  of 
era!  standexs-by  threatned  much  disgrace  to  thy  A^iW»^  jf 
he  let  thee  cone  abroad,  jet  venture  Hat,  and  in  this  way 
seek  a  just  Revenge  on  Them  for  the  Disturbance  they  have 
given  to  such  as  have  called  on  the  Name  of  God. 


Section  L  There  dwells  at  this  time,  in  the  south  ptart  of 
Boston,  a  sober  and  pious  man.  whose  Name  is  John  Goodwin, 
whose  Trade  is  that  of  a  **••»»•,  and  whc*-  _:  -  : :  which  a. 
Good  Report  gives  a  share  with  him  in  aH  the  Characters  of 
Yertoe)  has  made  him  the  Father  of  air  (BOW  living)  fanVlii  n 
Of  these  Children,  all  but  the  Eldest,  who  wotks  with  his 
father  at  his  Calling,  and  the  Youngest,  who  lives  yet  upon 
the  Breast  of  its  "•"4***'.,  have  laboured  under  the  direful 
effects  of  a  (no  less  palpahlr  than)  stupendous  W&AermfL 
Indeed  that  exempted  Son  had  also,  as  was  thnqejn%  some 
lighter  touches  of  it ,  in  unaccountable  stabbs  and  pains  now 
and  then  upon  him;  as  indeed  every  person  in  the  Family  aft 
some  time  or  other  had,  except  the  godly  Father,  and  the 
norkfng  Infant,  who  never  fdt  any  apprpssiorts  of  it.  Bat 

these  Four  Children  T t~Mmml   w^re  handled  in  so  sad  and 

strange  a  manmr,  as  has  given  matter  of  DavoBBse  and  Won- 
der to  all  the  Countrey,  and  of  History  not  naworthy  to  be 


•    -  2r        _je^-?_Jt    •••        •    "Tj? 

:  7.  f ..  the  de^rfls:  to  tie 
ti«ja  worship  v«s  devil 


100         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1688 

considered  by  more  than  all  the  serious  or  the  curious  Readers 
in  this  New-English  World. 

Sect.  II.  The  four  Children  (whereof  the  Eldest  was  about 
Thirteen,  and  the  youngest  was  perhaps  about  a  third  part 
so  many  years  of  age1)  had  enjoyed  a  Religious  Education, 
and  answered  it  with  a  very  towardly  Ingenuity.2  They  had 
an  observable  Affection  unto  Divine  and  Sacred  things;  and 
those  of  them  that  were  capable  of  it,  seem'd  to  have  such  a 
Resentment3  of  their  eternal  Concernments  as  is  not  altogether 
usual.  Their  Parents  also  kept  them  to  a  continual  Employ- 
ment, which  did  more  than  deliver  them  from  the  Temptations 
of  Idleness,  and  as  young  as  they  were,  they  took  a  delight  in 
it,  it  may  be  as  much  as  they  should  have  done.  In  a  word, 
Such  was  the  whole  Temper  and  Carriage  of  the  Children, 
that  there  cannot  easily  be  any  thing  more  unreasonable,  than 
to  imagine  that  a  Design  to  Dissemble  could  cause  them  to 
fall  into  any  of  their  odd  Fits;  though  there  should  not  have 
happened,4  as  there  did,  a  thousand  Things,  wherein  it  was 
perfectly  impossible  for  any  Dissimulation  of  theirs  to  produce 
what  scores  of  spectators  were  amazed  at. 

Sect.  III.  About  Midsummer,  in  the  year  1688,  the  Eldest 
of  these  Children,  who  is  a  Daughter,  saw  cause  to  examine 
their  Washerwoman,  upon  their  missing  of  some  Linnen,  which 
twas  fear'd  she  had  stollen  from  them;  and  of  what  use  this 
linnen  might  bee  to  serve  the  Witchcraft  intended,  the  Thcef 's 
Tempter  knows!  This  Laundress  was  the  Daughter  of  an 
ignorant  and  a  scandalous  old  Woman  in  the  Neighbourhood; 
whose  miserable  Husband  before  he  died,  had  sometimes  com- 
plained of  her,  that  she  was  undoubtedly  a  Witch,  and  that 
whenever  his  Head  was  laid,  she  would  quickly  arrive  unto 
the  punishments  due  to  such  an  one.  This  Woman  in  her 
daughters  Defence  bestow'd  very  bad  Language  upon  the  Girl 
that  put  her  to  the  Question;  immediately  upon  which,  the 

1  Martha  was  13,  John  11,  Mercy  7,  Benjamin  5,  the  elder  son  (Nathaniel) 
15,  the  baby  (Hannah)  six  months  old,  when  the  narrative  opens  (midsummer, 
1688).  (Savage,  Genealogical  Dictionary,  and  Boston  records.) 

1 7.  e.,  with  encouraging  promise. 

*/.  e.,  feeling,  realization — in  the  religious  cant  of  to-day,  "a  realizing 
sense." 

4  7.  e.,  even  if  there  had  not  happened. 


1688]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  101 

poor  child  became  variously  indisposed  in  her  health,  and 
visited  with  strange  Fits,  beyond  those  that  attend  an  Epilepsy, 
or  a  Catalepsy,  or  those  that  they  call  The  Diseases  of  Aston- 
ishment.1 

Sect.  IV.  It  was  not  long  before  one  of  her  Sisters,  and 
two  of  her  Brothers,  were  seized,  in  Order  one  after  another, 
with  Affects2  like  those  that  molested  her.  Within  a  few 
weeks,  they  were  all  four  tortured  every  where  in  a  manner  so 
very  grievous,  that  it  would  have  broke  an  heart  of  stone  to 
have  seen  their  Agonies.  Skilful  Physicians  were  consulted 
for  their  Help,  and  particularly  our  worthy  and  prudent  Friend 
Dr.  Thomas  Oakes,3  who  found  himself  so  affronted4  by  the 
Distempers  of  the  children,  that  he  concluded  nothing  but  an 
hellish  Witchcraft  could  be  the  Original5  of  these  Maladies. 
And  that  which  yet  more  confirmed  such  Apprehension  was, 
That  for  one  good  while,  the  children  were  tormented  just  in 
the  same  part  of  their  bodies  all  at  the  same  time  together;  and 
tho  they  saw  and  heard  not  one  anothers  complaints,  tho  like- 
wise their  pains  and  sprains  were  swift  like  Lightening,  yet 
when  (suppose)  the  Neck,  or  the  Hand,  or  the  Back  of  one  was 
Rack't,  so  it  was  at  that  instant  with  t'other  too. 

Sect.  V.  The  variety  of  their  tortures  increased  continu- 
ally; and  tho  about  Nine  or  Ten  at  Night  they  alwaies  had  a 
Release  from  their  miseries,  and  ate  and  slept  all  night  for  the 
most  part  indifferently  well,  yet  in  the  day  time  they  were 
handled  with  so  many  sorts  of  Ails,  that  it  would  require  of  us 
almost  as  much  time  to  Relate  them  all,  as  it  did  of  them  to 
Endure  them.  Sometimes  they  would  be  Deaf,  sometimes 
Dumb,  and  sometimes  Blind,  and  often,  all  this  at  once.  One 
while  their  Tongues  would  be  drawn  down  their  Throats; 
another-while  they  would  be  pull'd  out  upon  their  Chins,  to 
a  prodigious  length.  They  would  have  their  Mouths  opened 
unto  such  a  Wideness,  that  their  Jaws  went  out  of  joint;  and 

1 1.  e.,  stupefaction :  diseases  that  rob  one  of  his  wits.  It  should  not  be 
forgotten,  here  or  later,  that  the  author  had  once,  while  his  stammering  seemed 
to  bar  him  from  the  ministry,  begun  the  study  of  medicine. 

2  Affections,  ailments. 

3  Dr.  Oakes  (1644-1719)  was  the  locally  eminent  physician  who  in  1689 
became  speaker  of  the  legislature  and  in  1690  was  sent  as  a  colonial  deputy  to 
England. 

4  Nonplussed,  dumbfounded.  5  Origin. 


102         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1688 

anon  they  would  clap  together  again  with  a  Force  like  that 
of  a  strong  Spring-Lock.  The  same  would  happen  to  their 
Shoulder-Blades,  and  their  Elbows,  and  Hand-wrists,  and 
several  of  their  joints.  They  would  at  times  ly  in  a  benummed 
condition;  and  be  drawn  together  as  those  that  are  ty'd  Neck 
and  Heels;1  and  presently  be  stretched  out,  yea,  drawn  Back- 
wards, to  such  a  degree  that  it  was  fear'd  the  very  skin  of  their 
Bellies  would  have  crack'd.  They  would  make  most  pitteous 
out-cries,  that  they  were  cut  with  Knives,  and  struck  with 
Blows  that  they  could  not  bear.  Their  Necks  would  be 
broken,  so  that  their  Neck-bone  "would  seem  dissolved  unto 
them  that  felt  after  it;  and  yet  on  the  sudden,  it  would  become 
again  so  stiff  that  there  was  no  stirring  of  their  Heads;  yea, 
their  Heads  would  be  twisted  almost  round;  and  if  main 
Force  at  any  time  obstructed  a  dangerous  motion  which  they 
seem'd  to  be  upon,  the)7  would  roar  exceedingly.  Thus  they 
lay  some  weeks  most  pittiful  Spectacles;  and  this  while  as  a 
further  Demonstration  of  Witchcraft  in  these  horrid  Effects, 
when  I  went  to  Prayer  by  one  of  them,  that  was  very  desireous 
to  hear  what  I  said,  the  Child  utterly  lost  her  Hearing  till  our 
Prayer  was  over. 

Sect.  VI.  It  was  a  Religious  Family  that  these  Afflictions 
happened  unto;  and  none  but  a  Religious  Contrivance  to 
obtain  Releef,  would  have  been  welcome  to  them.  Many 
superstitious  proposals  were  made  unto  them,  by  persons  that 
were  I  know  not  who,  nor  what,  with  Arguments  fetch't  from 
I  know  not  how  much  Necessity  and  Experience;  but  the  dis- 
tressed Parents  rejected  all  such  counsils,  with  a  gracious  Reso- 
lution, to  oppose  Devils  with  no  other  weapons  but  Prayers 
and  Tears,  unto  .Him  that  has  the  Chaining  of  them ;  and  to 

1  "Tied  neck  and  heels"  was  doubtless  at  first,  as  the  lexicographers  under- 
stand it,  only  a  phrase  for  the  securest  method  of  fettering;  but  it  had  now  be- 
come a  name  for  what  was  (in  defiance  of  English  law)  a  method  of  torture. 
For  its  use  at  Salem  see  p.  363,  note  2,  below.  Jardine  says  ( The  Use  of  Torture  in 
the  Criminal  Law  of  England,  p.  37  ff.)  that  there  is  now  shown  in  the  Tower  of 
London  a  device  "which  compressed  the  neck  of  the  sufferer  down  toward  his 
feet,"  and  he  thinks  this  may  be  that  torture  of  "the  manacles"  often  mentioned 
in  the  English  state  trials  of  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries  and  meant 
by  Shakespeare,  when  he  makes  Prospero  say:  "I'll  manacle  thy  neck  and  feet 
together."  In  Virginia  tying  neck  and  heels  was  in  the  seventeenth  century  a 
penalty  imposed  by  the  courts. 


1688]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  103 

try  first  whether  Graces  were  not  the  best  things  to  encounter 
Witchcrafts  with.  Accordingly  they  requested  the  four  Min- 
isters of  Boston,  with  the  Minister  of  Charlstown,  to  keep  a 
Day  of  Prayer  at  their  thus  haunted  house;  which  they  did 
in  the  Company  of  some  devout  people  there.  Immediately 
upon  this  Day,  the  youngest  of  the  four  children  was  delivered, 
and  never  felt  any  trouble  as  afore.  But  there  was  yet  a 
greater  Effect  of  these  our  Applications  unto  our  God! 

Sect  VII.  The  Report  of  the  Calamities  of  the  Family 
for  which  we  were  thus  concerned,  arrived  now  unto  the  ears 
of  the  Magistrates,  who  presently  and  prudently  apply'd 
themselves,  with  a  just  vigour,  to  enquire  into  the  story.  The 
Father  of  the  Children  complained  of  his  Neighbour,  the  sus- 
pected ill  woman,  whose  name  was  Glover;  and  she  being 
sent  for  by  the  Justices,  gave  such  a  wTetched  Account  of  her 
self,  that  they  saw  cause  to  commit  her  unto  the  Gaolers  Cus- 
tody. Goodwin  had  no  proof  that  could  have  done  her  any 
Hurt;  but  the  Hag  had  not  power  to  deny  her  interest  in  the 
Enchantment  of  the  Children;  and  when  she  was  asked, 
Whether  she  believed  there  was  a  God?  her  Answer  was  too 
blasphemous  and  horrible  for  any  Pen  of  mine  to  mention. 
An  Experiment  was  made,  Whether  she  could  recite  the  Lords 
Prayer;  and  it  was  found,  that  tho  clause  after  clause  was  most 
carefully  repeated  unto  her,  yet  when  she  said  it  after  them 
that  prompted  her,  she  could  not  possibly  avoid  making  Non- 
sense of  it,  with  some  ridiculous  Depravations.  This  Experi- 
ment I  had  the  curiosity  since  to  see  made  upon  two  more, 
and  it  had  the  same  Event.  Upon  the  Commitment  of  this 
extraordinary  Woman,  all  the  Children  had  some  present  ease; 
until  one  (related  unto  her)  accidentally  meeting  one  or  two 
of  them,  entertain 'd  them  with  her  Blessing,  that  is,  Railing; 
upon  which  Three  of  them  fell  ill  again,  as  they  were  before. 

Sect.  VIII.  It  was  not  long  before  the  Witch  thus  in  the 
Trap,  was  brought  upon  her  Tryal;  at  which,  thro'  the  Efficacy 
of  a  Charm,  I  suppose,  used  upon  her,  by  one  or  some  of  her 
Crue,1  the  Court  could  receive  Answers  from  her  in  none  but 
the  Irish,  which  was  her  Native  Language;  altho  she  under- 
stood the  English  very  well,  and  had  accustomed  her  whole 
Family  to  none  but  that  Language  in  her  former  Conversa- 

1  Crew. 


KM         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1688 

tion;  and  therefore  the  Communication  between  the  Bench 
and  the  Bar,1  was  now  cheefly  convey'd  by  two  honest  and 
faithful  men  that  were  interpreters.  It  was  long  before  she 
could  with  any  direct  Answers  plead  unto  her  Indictment; 
and  when  she  did  plead,  it  was  with  Confession  rather  than 
Denial  of  her  Guilt.  Order  was  given  to  search  the  old 
womans  house,  from  whence  there  were  brought  into  the  Court, 
several  small  Images,  or  Puppets,  or  Babies,  made  of  Raggs, 
and  stuff't  with  Goat's  hair,  and  other  such  Ingredients. 
When  these  were  produced,  the  vile  Woman  acknowledged, 
that  her  way  to  torment  the  Objects  of  her  malice,  was  by 
wetting  of  her  Finger  with  her  Spittle,  and  streaking  of  those 
little  Images.  The  abused  Children  were  then  present,  and 
the  Woman  still  kept  stooping  and  shrinking  as  one  that  was 
almost  prest  to  Death  with  a  mighty  Weight  upon  her.  But 
one  of  the  Images  being  brought  unto  her,  immediately  she 
started  up  after  an  odd  manner,  and  took  it  into  her  hand; 
but  she  had  no  sooner  taken  it,  than  one  of  the  Children  fell 
into  sad  Fits,  before  the  whole  Assembly.  This  the  Judges 
had  their  just  Apprehensions  at;  and  carefully  causing  the 
Repetition  of  the  Experiment,  found  again  the  same  event  of 
it.  They  asked  her,  Whether  she  had  any  to  stand  by  her: 
She  replied,  She  had;  and  looking  very  pertly  in  the  Air,  she 
added,  No,  He's  gone.  And  she  then  confessed,  that  she  had 
One,  who  was  her  Prince,  with  whom  she  maintain'd,!  know  not 
what  Communion.  For  which  cause,  the  night  after,  she  was 
heard  expostulating  with  a  Devil,  for  his  thus  deserting  her; 
telling  him  that  Because  he  had  served  her  so  basely  and  falsly, 
she  had  confessed  all.  However  to  make  all  clear,  The  Court 
appointed  five  or  six  Physicians  one  evening  to  examine  her 
very  strictly,  whether  she  were  not  craz'd  in  her  Intellectuals, 
and  had  not  procured  to  her  self  by  Folly  and  Madness  the 
Reputation  of  a  Witch.  Diverse  hours  did  they  spend  with 
her;  and  in  all  that  while  no  Discourse  came  from  her,  but 
what  was  pertinent  and  agreeable:  particularly,  when  they 
asked  her,  What  she  thought  would  become  of  her  soul?  she 
reply'd  "You  ask  me  a  very  solemn  Question,  and  I  cannot 
well  tell  what  to  say  to  it."  She  own'd  her  self  a  Roman 
Catholick;  and  could  recite  her  Pater  Noster  in  Latin  very 

1  /.  e.,  between  the  judges  and  the  prisoner  at  the  bar. 


1688]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  105 

readily;  but  there  was  one  Clause  or  two  alwaies  too  hard  for 
her,  whereof  she  said,  "She  could  not  repeat  it,  if  she  might 
have  all  the  world."  In  the  up-shot,  the  Doctors  returned 
her  Compos  Mentis;1  and  Sentence  of  Death  was  pass'd  upon 
her. 

Sect.  IX.  Diverse  dayes  were  passed  between  her  being 
Arraigned  and  Condemned.  In  this  time  one  of  her  Neigh- 
bours had  been  giving  in  her  Testimony  of  what  another  of 
her  Neighbours  had  upon  her  Death  related  concerning  her. 
It  seems  one  Howen  about  Six  years  before,  had  been  cruelly 
bewitched  to  Death;  but  before  she  died,  she  called  one  Hughes 
unto  her,  Telling  her  that  she  laid  her  Death  to  the  charge  of 
Glover;  That  she  had  seen  Glover  sometimes  come  down  her 
Chimney;  That  she  should  remember  this,  for  within  this  Six 
years  she  might  have  Occasion  to  declare  it.  This  Hughes 
now  preparing  her  Testimony,  immediately  one  of  her  children, 
a  fine  boy,  well  grown  towards  Youth,  was  taken  ill,  just  in 
the  same  woful  and  surprising  manner  that  Goodwins  children 
were.  One  night  particularly,  The  Boy  said  he  saw  a  Black 
thing  with  a  Blue  Cap  in  the  Room,  Tormenting  of  him;  and 
he  complained  most  bitterly  of  a  Hand  put  into  the  Bed,  to 
pull  out  his  Bowels.  The  next  day  the  mother  of  the  boy 
went  unto  Glover,  in  the  Prison,  and  asked  her,  Why  she  tor- 
tured her  poor  lad  at  such  a  wicked  rate?  This  Witch  replied, 
that  she  did  it  because  of  wrong  done  to  her  self  and  her 
daughter.  Hughes  denied  (as  well  she  might)  that  she  had 
done  her  any  wrong.  "Well  then,"  sayes  Glover,  "Let  me 
see  your  child  and  he  shall  be  well  again."  Glover  went  on, 
and  told  her  of  her  own  accord,  "I  was  at  your  house  last 
night."  Sayes  Hughes,  "In  what  shape?"  Sayes  Glover, 
"As  a  black  thing  with  a  blue  Cap."  Sayes  Hughes,  "What 
did  you  do  there? "  Sayes  Glover,  "with  my  hand  in  the  Bed 
I  tryed  to  pull  out  the  boyes  Bowels,  but  I  could  not."  They 
parted;  but  the  next  day  Hughes  appearing  at  Court,  had  her 
Boy  with  her;  and  Glover  passing  by  the  Boy,  expressed  her 
good  wishes  for  him;  tho'  I  suppose,  his  Parent  had  no  design 
of  any  mighty  Respect  unto  the  Hag,  by  having  him  with  her 
there.  But  the  Boy  had  no  more  Indispositions  after. the 
Condemnation  of  the  Woman. 

1  Of  sound  mind. 


106         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1688 

Sect.  X.  While  the  miserable  old  Woman  was  under  Con- 
demnation, I  did  my  self  twice  give  a  visit  unto  her.  She  never 
denyed  the  guilt  of  the  Witchcraft  charg'd  upon  her;  but  she 
confessed  very  little  about  the  Circumstances  of  her  Confed- 
eracies with  the  Devils;  only,  she  said,  That  she  us'd  to  be  at 
meetings,  which  her  Prince  and  Four  more  were  present  at. 
As  for  those  Four,  She  told  who  they  were;  and  for  her  Prince, 
her  account  plainly  was,  that  he  was  the  Devil.  She  enter- 
tained me  with  nothing  but  Irish,  which  Language  I  had  not 
Learning  enough  to  understand  without  an  Interpreter;  only 
one  time,  when  I  was  representing  unto  her  That  and  How  her 
Prince  had  cheated  her,  as  her  self  would  quickly  find;  she 
reply'd,  I  think  in  English,  and  with  passion  too,  "If  it  be  so, 
I  am  sorry  for  that!"  I  offer'd  many  Questions  unto  her, 
unto  which,  after  long  silence,  she  told  me,  She  would  fain  give 
me  a  full  Answer,  but  they  would  not  give  her  leave.  It  was 
demanded,  "They!  Who  is  that  They?"  and  she  return'd,  that 
They  were  her  Spirits,  or  her  Saints,  (for  they  say,  the  same 
Word  in  Irish  signifies  both).  And  at  another  time,  she  in- 
cluded her  two  Mistresses,  as  she  call'd  them  in  that  They, 
but  when  it  was  enquired,  Who  those  two  were,  she  fell  into 
a  Rage,  and  would  be  no  more  urged. 

I  Sett  before  her  the  Necessity  and  Equity  of  her  breaking 
her  Covenant  with  Hell,  and  giving  her  self  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  by  an  everlasting  Covenant;  To  which  her  Answer 
was,  that  I  spoke  a  very  Reasonable  thing,  but  she  could  not 
do  it.  I  asked  her  whether  she  would  consent  or  desire  to  be 
pray'd  for;  To  that  she  said,  If  Prayer  would  do  her  any  good, 
shee  could  pray  for  her  self.  And  when  it  was  again  pro- 
pounded, she  said,  She  could  not  unless  her  spirits  (or  angels) 
would  give  her  leave.  However,  against  her  will  I  pray'd 
with  her,  which  if  it  were  a  Fault  it  was  in  excess  of  Pitty. 
When  I  had  done,  shee  thank'd  me  with  many  good  Words; 
but  I  was  no  sooner  out  of  her  sight,  than  she  took  a  stone,  a 
long  and  slender  stone,  and  with  her  Finger  and  Spittle  fell 
to  tormenting  it;  though  whom  or  what  she  meant,  I  had  the 
mercy  never  to  understand. 

Sect.  XI.  When  this  Witch  was  going  to  her  Execution, 
she  said,  the  Children  should  not  be  relieved  by  her  Death, 
for  others  had  a  hand  in  it  as  well  as  she;  and  she  named  one 


1688]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  107 

among  the  rest,  whom  it  might  have  been  thought  Natural 
Affection  would  have  advised  the  Concealing  of.  It  came  to 
pass  accordingly,  That  the  Three  children  continued  in  their 
Furnace  as  before,  and  it  grew  rather  Seven  times  hotter  than 
it  was.  All  their  former  Ails  pursued  them  still,  with  an  ad- 
dition of  (tis  not  easy  to  tell  how  many)  more,  but  such  as 
gave  more  sensible  Demonstrations  of  an  Enchantment  grow- 
ing very  far  towards  a  Possession  by  Evil  spirits. 

Sect.  XII.  The  Children  in  their  Fits  would  still  cry 
out  upon  They  and  Them  as  the  Authors  of  all  their  Harm; 
but  who  that  They  and  Them  were,  they  were  not  able  to  de- 
clare. At  last,  the  Boy  obtain'd  at  some  times  a  sight  of  some 
shapes  in  the  room.  There  were  Three  or  Four  of  'em,  the 
Names  of  which  the  child  would  pretend  at  certain  seasons  to 
tell;  only  the  Name  of  One,  who  was  counted  a  Sager  Hag 
than  the  rest,  he  still  so  stammered  at,  that  he  was  put  upon 
some  Periphrasis  in  describing  her.  A  Blow  at  the  place 
where  the  Boy  beheld  the  Spectre  was  alwaies  felt  by  the  Boy 
himself  in  the  part  of  his  Body  that  answered  what  might  be 
stricken  at;  and  this  tho  his  Back  were  turn'd;  which  was 
once  and  again  so  exactly  tried,  that  there  could  be  no  Collu- 
sion in  the  Business.  But  as  a  Blow  at  the  Apparition  alwaies 
hurt  him,  so  it  alwaies  help't  him  too;  for  after  the  Agonies, 
which  a  Push  or  Stab  of  That  had  put  him  to,  were  over,  (as 
in  a  minute  or  2  they  would  be)  the  Boy  would  have  a  respite 
from  his  Fits  a  considerable  while,  and  the  Hobgoblins  dis- 
appear. It  is  very  credibly  reported  that  a  wound  was  this 
way  given  to  an  Obnoxious  woman  in  the  town,  whose  name  I 
will  not  expose:  for  we  should  be  tender  in  such  Relations, 
lest  we  wrong  the  Reputation  of  the  Innocent  by  stories  not 
enough  enquired  into. 

Sect.  XIII.  The  Fits  of  the  Children  yet  more  arriv'd 
unto  such  Motions  as  were  beyond  the  Efficacy  of  any  natural 
Distemper  in  the  World.  They  would  bark  at  one  another  like 
Dogs,  and  again  purr  like  so  many  Cats.  They  would  some- 
times complain,  that  they  were  in  a  Red-hot  Oven,  sweating 
and  panting  at  the  same  time  unreasonably :  Anon  they  would 
say,  Cold  water  was  thrown  upon  them,  at  which  they  would 
shiver  very  much.  They  would  cry  out  of  dismal  Blowes 
with  great  Cudgels  laid  upon  them;  and  tho'  we  saw  no  cud- 


108         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1688 

gels  nor  blowes,  yet  we  could  see  the  Marks  left  by  them  in 
Red  Streaks  upon  their  bodies  afterward.  And  one  of  them 
would  be  roasted  on  an  invisible  Spit,  run  into  his  Mouth,  and 
out  at  his  Foot,  he  lying,  and  rolling,  and  groaning  as  if  it  had 
been  so  in  the  most  sensible  manner  in  the  world ;  and  then  he 
would  shriek,  that  Knives  were  cutting  of  him.  Sometimes 
also  he  would  have  his  head  so  forcibly,  tho  not  visibly,  nail'd 
unto  the  Floor,  that  it  was  as  much  as  a  strong  man  could  do 
to  pull  it  up.  One  while  they  would  all  be  so  Limber,  that  it 
was  judg'd  every  Bone  of  them  could  be  bent.  Another  while 
they  would  be  so  stiff,  that  not  a  joint  of  them  could  be  stir'd. 
They  would  sometimes  be  as  though  they  were  mad,  and  then 
they  would  climb  over  high  Fences,  beyond  the  Imagination 
of  them  that  look'd  after  them.  Yea,  They  would  fly  like 
Geese;  and  be  carried  with  an  incredible  Swiftness  thro  the 
air,  having  but  just  their  Toes  now  and  then  upon  the 
ground,  and  their  Arms  waved  like  the  Wings  of  a  Bird.  One 
of  them,  in  the  House  of  a  kind  Neighbour  and  Gentleman  (Mr. 
Willis)  flew  the  length  of  the  Room,  about  20  foot,  and  flew 
just  into  an  Infants  high  armed  Chair;  (as  tis  affirmed)  none 
seeing  her  feet  all  the  way  touch  the  floor. 

Sect.  XIV.  Many  wayes  did  the  Devils  take  to  make 
the  children  do  mischief  both  to  themselves  and  others;  but 
thro  the  singular  Providence  of  God,  they  always  fail'd  in  the 
attempts.  For  they  could  never  essay  the  doing  of  any  harm, 
unless  there  were  some-body  at  hand  that  might  prevent  it; 
and  seldome  without  first  shrieking  out,  "They  say,  I  must  do 
such  a  thing!"  Diverse  times  they  went  to  strike  furious 
Blowes  at  their  tenderest  and  dearest  friends,  or  to  fling  them 
down  staires  when  they  had  them  at  the  Top,  but  the  warnings 
from  the  mouths  of  the  children  themselves,  would  still  antici- 
pate what  the  Devils  did  intend.  They  diverse  times  were 
very  near  Burning  or  Drowning  of  themselves,  but  the  Chil- 
dren themselves  by  their  own  pittiful  and  seasonable  cries  for 
Help,  still  procured  their  Deliverance:  Which  made  me  to 
Consider,  Whether  the  Little  ones  had  not  their  Angels,  in  the 
plain  sense  of  Our  Saviours  Intimation.  Sometimes,  When 
they  were  tying  their  own  Neck-clothes,  their  compelled  hands 
miserably  strangled  themselves,  till  perhaps,  the  standers-by 
gave  some  Relief  unto  them.  But  if  any  small  Mischief  hap- 


1688]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  109 

pen'd  to  be  done  where  they  were ;  as  the  Tearing  or  Dirtying 
of  a  Garment,  the  Falling  of  a  Cup,  the  breaking  of  a  Glass 
or  the  like;  they  would  rejoice  extremely,  and  fall  into  a  plea- 
sure and  Laughter  very  extraordinary.  All  which  things  corn- 
par 'd  with  the  Temper  of  the  Children,  when  they  are  them- 
selves, may  suggest  some  very  peculiar  Thoughts  unto  us. 

Sect.  XV.  They  were  not  in  a  constant  Torture  for  some 
Weeks,  but  were  a  little  quiet,  unless  upon  some  incidental 
provocations;  upon  which  the  Devils  would  handle  them  like 
Tigres,  and  wound  them  in  a  manner  very  horrible.  Par- 
ticularly, Upon  the  least  Reproof  of  their  Parents  for  any  unfit 
thing  they  said  or  did,  most  grievous  woful  Heart-breaking 
Agonies  would  they  fall  into.  If  any  useful  thing  were  to  be 
done  to  them,  or  by  them,  they  would  have  all  sorts  of  Troubles 
fall  upon  them.  It  would  sometimes  cost  one  of  them  an  Hour 
or  Two  to  be  undrest  in  the  evening,  or  drest  in  the  morning. 
For  if  any  one  went  to  unty  a  string,  or  undo  a  Button  about 
them,  or  the  contrary;  they  would  be  twisted  into  such  pos- 
tures as  made  the  thing  impossible.  And  at  Whiles,  they 
would  be  so  managed  in  their  Beds,  that  no  Bed-clothes  could 
for  an  hour  or  two  be  laid  upon  them;  nor  could  they  go  to 
wash  their  Hands,  without  having  them  clasp't  so  odly  to- 
gether, there  was  no  doing  of  it.  But  when  their  Friends  were 
near  tired  with  Waiting,  anon  they  might  do  what  they  would 
unto  them.  Whatever  Work  they  were  bid  to  do,  they  would 
be  so  snap't  in  the  member  which  was  to  do  it,  that  they  with 
grief  still  desisted  from  it.  If  one  ordered  them  to  Rub  a 
clean  Table,  they  were  able  to  do  it  without  any  disturbance; 
if  to  rub  a  dirty  Table,  presently  they  would  with  many  Tor- 
ments be  made  uncapable.  And  sometimes,  tho  but  seldome, 
they  were  kept  from  eating  their  meals,  by  having  their  Teeth 
sett  when  they  carried  any  thing  unto  their  Mouthes. 

Sect.  XVI.  But  nothing  in  the  World  would  so  discompose 
them  as  a  Religious  Exercise.  If  there  were  any  Discourse  of 
God,  or  Christ,  or  any  of  the  things  which  are  not  seen  and  are 
eternal,  they  would  be  cast  into  intolerable  Anguishes.  Once, 
those  two  Worthy  Ministers  Mr.  Fisk1  and  Mr.  Thatcher,2 
bestowing  some  gracious  Counsils  on  the  Boy,  whom  they  then 

1  The  Rev.  Moses  Fiske  (1642-1708),  minister  at  Braintree. 

2  The  Rev.  Peter  Thacher  (1651-1727),  minister  at  Milton. 


110         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1688 

found  at  a  Neighbours  house,  he  immediately  lost  his  Hearing, 
so  that  he  heard  not  one  word,  but  just  the  last  word  of  all 
they  said.  Much  more,  All  Praying  to  God,  and  Reading  of 
His  word,  would  occasion  a  very  terrible  Vexation  to  them: 
they  would  then  stop  their  own  Ears  with  their  own  Hands; 
and  roar,  and  shriek;  and  holla,  to  drown  the  Voice  of  the 
Devotion.  Yea,  if  any  one  in  the  Room  took  up  a  Bible  to 
look  into  it,  tho  the  Children  could  see  nothing  of  it,  as  being  in 
a  croud  of  Spectators,  or  having  their  Faces  another  way,  yet 
would  they  be  in  wonderful  Miseries,  till  the  Bible  were  laid 
aside.  In  short,  No  good  thing  must  then  be  endured  near 
those  Children,  Which  (while  they  are  themselves)  do  love 
every  good  thing  in  a  measure  that  proclaims  in  them  the  Fear 
of  God. 

Sect.  XVII.  My  Employments  were  such,  that  I  could 
not  visit  this  afflicted  Family  so  often  as  I  would ;  Wherefore, 
that  I  might  show  them  what  kindness  I  could,  as  also  that  I 
might  have  a  full  opportunity  to  observe  the  extraordinary 
Circumstances  of  the  Children,  and  that  I  might  be  furnished 
with  Evidence  and  Argument  as  a  Critical  Eye- Witness  to 
confute  the  Saducism  of  this  debauched  Age;  I  took  the  Eldest 
of  them  home  to  my  House.  The  young  Woman  continued 
well  at  our  house,  for  diverse  dayes,  and  apply'd  her  self  to 
such  Actions  not  only  of  Industry,  but  of  Piety,  as  she  had 
been  no  stranger  to.  But  on  the  Twentieth  of  November  in 
the  Fore-noon,  she  cry'd  out,  "Ah,  They  have  found  me  out! 
I  thought  it  would  be  so!"  and  immediately  she  fell  into  her 
fits  again.  I  shall  now  confine  my  Story  cheefly  to  Her,  from 
whose  Case  the  Reader  may  shape  some  Conjecture  at  the 
Accidents  of  the  Rest. 

Sect.  XVIII.  Variety  of  Tortures  now  siez'd  upon  the 
Girl;  in  which  besides  the  forementioned  Ails  returning  upon 
her,  she  often  would  cough  up  a  Ball  as  big  as  a  small  Egg, 
into  the  side  of  her  Wind-pipe,  that  would  near  choak  her,  till 
by  Stroking  and  by  Drinking  it  was  carried  down  again.  At 
the  beginning  of  her  Fits  usually  she  kept  odly  Looking  up 
the  Chimney,  but  could  not  say  what  she  saw.  When  I  bad 
her  Cry  to  the  Lord  Jesus  for  Help,  her  Teeth  were  instantly 
sett;  upon  which  I  added,  "Yet,  child,  Look  unto  Him,"  and 
then  her  Eyes  were  presently  pulled  into  her  head,  so  farr, 


1688]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  111 

that  one  might  have  fear'd  she  should  never  have  us'd  them 
more.  When  I  prayed  in  the  Room,  first  her  Arms  were  with 
a  strong,  tho  not  seen  Force  clap't  upon  her  ears;  and  when  her 
hands  were  with  violence  pulTd  away,  she  cryed  out,  "They 
make  such  a  noise,  I  cannot  hear  a  word!"  She  likewise  com- 
plain'd,  that  Goody  Glover's  Chain  was  upon  her  Leg,  and 
when  she  essay'd  to  go,  her  postures  were  exactly  such  as  the 
chained  Witch  had  before  she  died.  But  the  manner  still  was, 
that  her  Tortures  in  a  small  while  would  pass  over,  and  Frolicks 
succeed ;  in  which  she  would  continue  many  hours,  nay,  whole 
days,  talking  perhaps  never  wickedly,  but  alwaies  wittily, 
beyond  her  self;  and  at  certain  provocations,  her  Tortures 
would  renew  upon  her,  till  we  had  left  off  to  give  them.  But 
she  frequently  told  us,  that  if  she  might  but  steal,  or  be  drunk, 
she  should  be  well  immediately. 

Sect.  XIX.  In  her  ludicrous  Fits,  one  while  she  would  be 
for  Flying;  and  she  would  be  carried  hither  and  thither,  tho 
not  long  from  the  ground,  yet  so  long  as  to  exceed  the  ordinary 
power  of  Nature  in  our  Opinion  of  it :  another-while  she  would 
be  for  Diving,  and  use  the  Actions  of  it  towards  the  Floor,  on 
which,  if  we  had  not  held  her,  she  would  have  thrown  her  self. 
Being  at  this  exercise  she  told  us,  That  They  said,  she  must  go 
down  to  the  Bottom  of  our  Well,  for  there  was  Plate  there, 
and  They  said,  They  would  bring  her  safely  up  again.  This 
did  she  tell  us,  tho  she  had  never  heard  of  any  Plate  there! 
and  we  ourselves  who  had  newly  bought  the  house,  hardly 
knew  of  any;  but  the  former  Owner  of  the  House  just  then 
coming  in,  told  us  there  had  been  Plate  for  many  years  at  the 
Bottom  of  the  WeU. 

She  had  once  a  great  mind  to  have  eaten  a  roasted  Apple, 
but  whenever  she  attempted  to  eat  it,  her  Teeth  would  be  sett, 
and  sometimes,  if  she  went  to  take  it  up  her  Arm  would  be 
made  so  stiff,  that  she  could  not  possibly  bring  her  hand  to 
her  Mouth:  at  last  she  said,  "Now  They  say,  I  shall  eat  it, 
if  I  eat  it  quickly";  and  she  nimbly  eat  it  all  up.  Moreover, 

There  was  one  very  singular  passion  that  frequently  at- 
tended her.  An  Invisible  Chain  would  be  clapt  about  her,  and 
shee,  in  much  pain  and  Fear,  cry  out,  When  They  began  to 
put  it  on.  Once  I  did  with  my  own  hand  knock  it  off,  as  it 
began  to  be  fastned  about  her.  But  ordinarily,  When  it  was 


112         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1688 

on,  shee'd  be  pull'd  out  of  her  seat  with  such  violence  towards 
the  Fire,  that  it  has  been  as  much  as  one  or  two  of  us  could 
do  to  keep  her  out.  Her  Eyes  were  not  brought  to  be  perpen- 
dicular to  her  feet,  when  she  rose  out  of  her  Seat,  as  the  Mech- 
anism of  a  Humane1  Body  requires  in  them  that  rise,  but 
she  was  one  dragg'd  wholly  by  other  Hands :  and  once,  When 
I  gave  a  stamp  on  the  Hearth,  just  between  her  and  the  Fire, 
she  scream'd  out,  (tho  I  think  she  saw  me  not)  that  I  Jarr'd 
the  Chain,  and  hurt  her  Back. 

Sect.  XX.  While  she  was  in  her  Frolicks  I  was  willing 
to  try,  Whether  she  could  read  or  no;  and  I  found,  not  only 
That  If  she  went  to  read  the  Bible  her  Eyes  would  be  strangely 
twisted  and  blinded,  and  her  Neck  presently  broken,  but  also 
that  if  any  one  else  did  read  the  Bible  in  the  Room,  tho  it 
were  wholly  out  of  her  sight,  and  without  the  least  voice  or 
noise  of  it,  she  would  be  cast  into  very  terrible  Agonies.  Yet 
once  Falling  into  her  Maladies  a  little  time  after  she  had  read 
the  59th  Psalm,  I  said  unto  the  standers  by,  "Poor  child!  she 
can't  now  read  the  Psalm  she  readd  a  little  while  ago,"  she 
listened  her  self  unto  something  that  none  of  us  could  hear  and 
made  us  be  silent  for  some  few  Seconds  of  a  minute.  Where- 
upon she  said,  "But  I  can  read  it,  they  say  I  shall!"  So  I 
show'd  her  the  Psalm,  and  she  readd  it  all  over  to  us.  Then 
said  I,  "Child,  say  Amen  to  it :"  but  that  she  could  not  do.  I 
added,  "Read  the  next:"  but  no  where  else  in  the  Bible 
could  she  read  a  word.  I  brought  her  a  Quakers  Book;  and 
That  she  could  quietly  read  whole  pages  of;  only  the  Name  of 
God  and  Christ  she  still  skip't  over,  being  unable  to  pronounce 
it,  except  sometimes  with  stammering  a  minute  or  two  or 
more  upon  it.  When  we  urged  her  to  tell  what  the  word  was 
that  she  missed,  shee'd  say,  "I  must  not  speak  it;  They  say  I 
must  not,  you  know  what  it  is,  it's  G  and  0  and  D;"  so  shee'd 
spell  the  Name  unto  us.  I  brought  her  again  one  that  I 
thought  was  a  Good  Book;  and  presently  she  was  handled 
with  intolerable  Torments.  But  when  I  show'd  her  a  Jest- 
Book,  as,  The  Oxford  Jests,  or  the  Cambridge  Jests,  she  could 
read  them  without  any  Disturbance,  and  have  witty  Descants 
upon  them  too.  I  entertain'd  her  with  a  Book  that  pretends 
to  prove,  That  there  are  no  Witches;  and  that  she  could  read 

1  Human.     "Humane"  was  then  the  current  spelling. 


1688J         C.   MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  113 

very  well,  only  the  Name  Devils,  and  Witches,  could  not  be 
uttered  by  her  without  extraordinary  Difficulty.  I  produced 
a  Book  to  her  that  proves,  That  there  are  Witches,  and  that 
she  had  not  power  to  read.  When  I  readd  in  the  Room  the 
Story  of  Ann  Cole,1  in  my  Fathers  Remarkable  Providences,  and 
came  to  the  Exclamation  which  the  Narrative  saies  the  Daemons 
made  upon  her,  "Ah  she  runs  to  the  Rock!"  it  cast  her  into 
inexpressible  Agonies;  and  shee'd  fall  into  them  whenever  I 
had  the  Expression  of,  "Running  to  the  Rock,"  afterwards. 
A  popish  Book  also  she  could  endure  very  well;  but  it  would 
kill  her  to  look  into  any  Book,  that  (in  my  Opinion)  it  might 
have  bin  profitable  and  edifying  for  her  to  be  reading  of. 
These  Experiments  were  often  enough  repeated,  and  still  with 
the  same  Success,  before  Witnesses  not  a  few.  The  good  Books 
that  were  found  so  mortal  to  her  were  cheefly  such  as  lay  ever 
at  hand  in  the  Room.  One  was  the  Quid  to  Heaven  from  the 
Word,  which  I  had  given  her.  Another  of  them  was  Mr.  Wil- 
lard's  little  (but  precious)  Treatise  of  Justification.  Diverse 
Books  published  by  my  Father  I  also  tried  upon  her;  partic- 
ularly, his  Mystery  of  Christ;  and  another  small  Book  of  his 
about  Faith  and  Repentance,  and  the  day  of  Judgement. 

Once  being  very  merrily  talking  by  a  Table  that  had  this 
last  Book  upon  it,  she  just  opened  the  Book,  and  was  imme- 
diately struck  backwards  as  dead  upon  the  floor.  I  hope  I 
have  not  spoil'd  the  credit  of  the  Books,  By  telling  how  much 
the  Devils  hated  them.  I  shall  therefore  add,  That  my  Grand- 
father Cottons  Catechism  called  Milk  for  Babes,  and  The 
Assemblies  Catechism,  would  bring  hideous  Convulsions  on  the 
Child  if  she  look't  into  them;  tho  she  had  once  learn't  them 
with  all  the  love  that  could  be. 

Sect.  XXI.  I  was  not  unsensible  that  this  Girls  Capacity 
or  incapacity  to  read,  was  no  Test  for  Truth  to  be  determined 
by,  and  therefore  I  did  not  proceed  much  further  in  this  fanci- 
ful Business,  not  knowing  What  snares  the  Devils  might  lay 
for  us  in  the  Tryals.  A  few  further  Tryals,  I  confess,  I  did 
make;  but  what  the  event  of  'em  was,  I  shall  not  relate,  be- 
cause I  would  not  offend.  But  that  which  most  made  me  to 
wonder  was,  That  one  bringing  to  her  a  certain  Prayer-Book, 
she  not  only  could  Read  it  very  well,  but  also  did  read  a  large 

1  See  pp.  18-21,  above. 


114         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1688 

part  of  it  over,  and  calling  it  Her  Bible,  she  took  in  it  a  deb'ght 
and  put  on  it  a  Respect  more  than  Ordinary.  If  she  were 
going  into  her  tortures,  at  the  offer  of  this  Book,  she  would 
come  out  of  her  fits  and  read ;  and  her  Attendents  were  almost 
under  a  Temptation  to  use  it  as  a  Charm,  to  make  and  keep 
her  quiet.  Only,  When  she  came  to  the  Lords  Prayer,  (now 
and  then  occurring  in  this  Book)  she  would  have  her  eyes  put 
out,  so  that  she  must  turn  over  a  new  leaf,  and  then  she  could 
read  again.  Whereas  also  there  are  Scriptures  in  that  Book, 
she  could  read  them  there,  but  if  I  shew'd  her  the  very  same 
Scriptures  in  the  Bible,  she  should  sooner  Dy  than  read  them. 
And  she  was  likewise  made  unable  to  read  the  Psalms  in  an 
ancient  meeter,  which  this  prayer-book  had  in  the  same  vol- 
umne  with  it.  There  were,  I  think  I  may  say,  no  less  than 
Multitudes  of  Witnesses  to  this  odd  thing;  and  I  should  not 
have  been  a  faithful  and  honest  Historian,  if  I  had  withheld 
from  the  World  this  part  of  my  History:  But  I  make  no 
Reflections  on  it.  Those  inconsiderable  men  that  are  pro- 
voked at  it  (if  any  shall  be  of  so  little  Sense  as  to  be  provoked) 
must  be  angry  at  the  Devils,  and  not  at  me;  their  Malice,  and 
not  my  Writing,  deserves  the  Blame  of  any  Aspersion  which  a 
true  History  may  seem  to  cast  on  a  Book  that  some  have 
enough  manifested  their  Concernment  for. 

Sect.  XXII.  There  was  another  most  unaccountable 
Circumstance  which  now  attended  her;  and  until  she  came  to 
our  House,  I  think,  she  never  had  Experience  of  it.  Ever  now 
and  then,  an  Invisible  Horse  would  be  brought  unto  her,  by 
those  whom  she  only  called,  "them,"  and,  "Her  Company": 
upon  the  Approach  of  Wliich,  her  eyes  would  be  still  closed  up; 
for  (said  she)  "They  say,  I  am  a  Tell-Tale,  and  therefore  they 
will  not  let  me  see  them."  Upon  this  would  she  give  a  Spring 
as  one  mounting  an  Horse,  and  Settling  her  self  in  a  Riding- 
Posture — she  would  hi  her  Chair  be  agitated  as  one  sometimes 
Ambleing,  sometimes  Trotting,  and  sometimes  Galloping  very 
furiously.  In  these  motions  we  could  not  perceive  that  she 
was  stirred  by  the  stress  of  her  feet,  upon  the  ground;  for 
often  she  touch't  it  not;  but  she  mostly  continued  in  her 
Chair,  though  sometimes  in  her  hard  Trott  we  doubted  she 
would  have  been  tossed  over  the  Back  of  it.  Once  being 
angry  at  his  Dulness,  When  she  said,  she  would  cut  off  his 


1688]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  115 

head  if  she  had  a  knife,  I  gave  her  my  Sheath,  wherewith  she 
suddenly  gave  her  self  a  stroke  on  the  Neck,  but  complain'd, 
it  would  not  cut.  When  she  had  rode  a  minute  or  two  or 
three,  shee'd  pretend  to  be  at  a  Rendezvous  with  Them,  that 
were  Her  Company;  there  shee'd  maintain  a  Discourse  with 
them,  and  asking  many  Questions  concerning  her  self,  (for  we 
gave  her  none  of  ours)  shee'd  Listen  much,  and  Received  An- 
swers from  them  that  indeed  none  but  her  self  perceived. 
Then  would  she  return  and  inform  us,  how  They  did  intend  to 
handle  her  for  a  day  or  two  afterwards,  besides  some  other 
things  that  she  enquired  of  them.  Her  Horse  would  sometimes 
throw  her,  with  much  Violence;  but  she  would  mount  again; 
and  one  of  the  Standers-by  once  imagining  them  that  were 
Her  Company,  to  be  before  her  (for  she  call'd  unto  them  to 
stay  for  her)  he  struck  with  his  Cane  in  the  Air  where  he 
thought  they  were,  and  tho  her  eyes  were  wholly  shutt,  yet 
she  cry'd  out,  that  he  struck  her.  Her  Fantastic  Journeyes 
were  mostly  performed  in  her  Chair  without  removing  from  it; 
but  sometimes  would  she  ride  from  her  Chair,  and  be  carried 
odly  on  the  Floor,  from  one  part  of  the  Room  to  another,  in 
the  postures  of  a  Riding  Woman.  If  any  of  us  asked  her, 
Who  her  Company  were?  She  generally  reply ed,  I  don't  know. 
But  If  we  were  instant  in  our  Demand,  she  would  with  some 
witty  Flout  or  other  turn  it  off.  Once  I  said,  "Child,  if  you 
can't  tell  their  Names,  pray  tell  me  what  Clothes  they  have 
on;"  and  the  Words  were  no  sooner  out  of  my  mouth,  but  she 
was  laid  for  dead  upon  the  Floor. 

Sect.  XXIII.  One  of  the  Spectators  once  ask'd  her, 
Whether  she  could  not  ride  up  stairs;  unto  which  her  Answer 
was,  That  she  believe'd  she  could,  for  her  Horse  could  do  very 
notable  things.  Accordingly,  when  her  Horse  came  to  her 
again,  to  our  Admiration  she  Rode  (that  is,  was  tossed  as  one 
that  rode)  up  the  stairs :  there  then  stood  open  the  Study  of 
one  belonging  to  the  Family,  into  which  entring,  she  stood 
immediately  upon  her  Feet,  and  cry'd  out,  "They  are  gone; 
they  are  gone!  They  say,  that  they  cannot, — God  won't  let 
'em  come  here!"  She  also  added  a  Reason  for  it,  which 
the  Owner  of  the  Study  thought  more  kind  than  true.  And 
she  presently  and  perfectly  came  to  her  self,  so  that  her  whole 
Discourse  and  Carriage  was  altered  unto  the  greatest  measure 


116         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [168* 

of  Sobriety,  and  she  salt  Reading  of  the  Bible  and  Good 
Books,  for  a  good  part  of  the  Afternoon.  Her  Affairs  calling 
her  anon  to  go  down  again,  the  Daemons  were  in  a  quarter  of 
a  minute  as  bad  upon  her  as  before,  and  her  Horse  was  Wait- 
ing for  her.  I  understanding  of  it,  immediately  would  have 
her  up  to  the  study  of  the  young  man  where  she  had  been  at 
ease  before;  meerly  to  try  Whether  there  had  not  been  a  Fal- 
lacy in  what  had  newly  happened :  but  she  was  now  so  twisted 
and  writhen,  that  it  gave  me  much  trouble  to  get  her  into  my 
Arms,  and  much  more  to  drag  her  up  the  stairs.  She  was 
pulled  out  of  my  hands,  and  when  I  recovered  my  Hold,  she 
was  thrust  so  hard  upon  me,  that  I  had  almost  fallen  back- 
wards, and  her  own  breast  was  sore  afterwards,  by  their  Com- 
pressions to  detain  her;  she  seem'd  heavier  indeed  than  three 
of  her  self.  With  incredible  Forcing  (tho  she  kept  Screaming, 
"They  say  I  must  not  go  in!")  at  length  we  pull'd  her  in; 
where  she  was  no  sooner  come,  but  she  could  stand  on  her 
Feet,  and  with  an  altered  tone,  could  thank  me,  saying,  "now 
I  am  well."  At  first  shee'd  be  somewhat  faint,  and  say,  She 
felt  something  go  out  of  her;  but  in  a  minute  or  two,  she  could 
attend  any  Devotion  or  Business  as  well  as  ever  in  her  Life; 
and  both  spoke  and  did  as  became  a  person  of  good  Discretion. 

I  was  loth  to  make  a  Charm  of  the  Room;  yet  some 
strangers  that  came  to  visit  us,  the  Week  after,  desiring  to  see 
the  Experiment  made,  I  permitted  more  than  two  or  three 
Repetitions  of  it;  and  it  still  succeded  as  I  have  declared. 
Once  when  I  was  assisting  'em  in  carrying  of  her  up,  she  was 
torn  out  of  all  our  hands;  and  to  my  self,  she  cry'd  out,  "Mr. 
M.,  One  of  them  is  going  to  push  you  dowTi  the  stairs,  have  a 
care."  I  remember  not  that  I  felt  any  Thrust  or  Blow;  but 
I  think  I  was  unaccountably  made  to  step  down  backward 
two  or  three  stairs,  and  within  a  few  hours  she  told  me  by 
whom  it  was. 

Sect.  XXIV.  One  of  those  that  had  bin  concerned  for 
her  Welfare,  had  newly  implored  the  great  God  that  the 
young  woman  might  be  able  to  declare  whom  she  apprehended 
her  self  troubled  by.  Presently  upon  this  her  Horse  returned, 
only  it  pestered  her  with  such  ugly  paces,  that  she  fell  out  with 
her  Company,  and  threatned  now  to  tell  all,  for  their  so  abus- 
ing her.  I  was  going  abroad,  and  she  said  unto  them  that 


1688]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  117 

were  about  her,  "Mr.  M.  is  gone  abroad,  my  horse  won't  come 
back,  till  he  come  home;  and  then  I  believe"  (said  she  softly,) 
"  I  shall  tell  him  all."  I  staid  abroad  an  hour  or  two,  and  then 
Returning,  When  I  was  just  come  to  my  Gate,  before  I  had 
given  the  least  Sign  or  Noise  of  my  being  there,  she  said,  "  My 
Horse  is  come!"  and  intimated,  that  I  was  at  the  Door. 
When  I  came  in,  I  found  her  mounted  after  her  fashion,  upon 
her  Aerial  Steed;  which  carried  her  Fancy  to  the  Journeys 
end.  There  (or  rather  then)  she  maintained  a  considerable 
Discourse  with  Her  Company,  Listening  very  attentively  when 
she  had  propounded  any  Question,  and  receiving  the  Answers 
with  impressions  made  upon  her  mind.  She  said;  "Well  what 
do  you  say?  How  many  Fits  more  am  I  to  have? — pray,  can 
ye  tell  how  long  it  shall  be  before  you  are  hang'd  for  what  you 
have  done? — You  are  filthy  Witches  to  my  knowledge,  I  shall 
see  some  of  you  go  after  your  sister;  You  would  have  killd  me; 
but  you  can't,  I  don't  fear  you. — You  would  have  thrown  Mr 
Mather  down  stairs,  but  you  could  not. — Well!  How  shall  I 
be  To  morrow?  x  Pray,  What  do  you  think  of  To  morrow?— 
Fare  ye  well. — You  have  brought  me  such  an  ugly  Horse,  I 
am  angry  at  you;  I  could  find  in  my  heart  to  tell  all."  So 
she  began  her  homeward-paces;  but  when  she  had  gone  a 
little  way,  (that  is  a  little  while)  she  said,  "01  have  forgot  one 
Question,  I  must  go  back  again;"  and  back  she  rides.  She 
had  that  day  been  diverse  times  warning  us,  that  they  had  been 
contriving  to  do  some  harm  to  my  Wife,  by  a  Fall  or  a  Blow, 
or  the  like ;  and  when  she  came  out  of  her  mysterious  Journeys, 
she  would  still  be  careful  concerning  Her.  Accordingly  she 
now  calls  to  her  Company  again,  "Hark  you,  One  thing  more 
before  we  part !  What  hurt  is  it  you  will  do  to  Mrs  Mather? 
will  you  do  her  any  hurt?"  Here  she  list'ned  some  time; 
and  then  clapping  her  hands,  cry'd  out,  "0,  I  am  glad  on't, 
they  can  do  Mrs.  Mather  no  hurt :  they  try,  but  they  say  they 
can't."  So  she  returns  and  at  once,  Dismissing  her  Horse, 
and  opening  her  eyes,  she  call'd  me  to  her,  "Now  Sir,"  (said 
she)  "I'll  tell  you  all.  I  have  learn'd  who  they  are  that  are 
the  cause  of  my  trouble,  there's  three  of  them,"  (and  she  named 
who)  "if  they  were  out  of  the  way,  I  should  be  well.  They 

1  [In  the  margin:]  "Note,  on  To  morrow,  the  Ministers  of  the  Town  were 
to  keep  a  day  of  Prayer  at  her  Fathers  House." 


118         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1668 

say,  they  can  tell  now  how  long  I  shall  be  troubled,  But  they 
won't.  Only  they  seem  to  think,  their  power  will  be  broke 
this  Week.  They  seem  also  to  say,  that  I  shall  be  very  ill 
To  morow,  but  they  are  themselves  terribly  afraid  of  to 
morrow;  They  fear,  that  to  morrow  we  shall  be  delivered. 
They  say  too,  that  they  can't  hurt  Mrs.  Mather,  which  I  am 
glad  of.  But  they  said,  they  would  kill  me  to  night,  if  I  went 
to  bed  before  ten  a  clock,  if  I  told  a  word."  And  other  things 
did  she  say,  not  now  to  be  recited. 

Sect.  XXV.  The  Day  following,  which  was,  I  think,  about 
the  twenty  seventh  of  November,  Mr.  Morton  of  Charlestown, 
and  Mr.  Allen,  Mr.  Moody,  Mr.  Willard,  and  my  self,  of  Boston, 
with  some  devout  Neighbours,  kept  another  Day  of  Prayer,  at 
John  Goodwin's  house;  and  we  had  all  the  Children  present 
with  us  there.  The  children  were  miserably  tortured,  while 
we  laboured  in  our  Prayers;  but  our  good  God  was  nigh  unto 
us,  in  what  we  call'd  upon  Him  for.  From  this  day  the  power 
of  the  Enemy  was  broken;  and  the  children,  though  Assaults 
after  this  were  made  upon  them,  yet  were  not  so  cruelly  handled 
as  before.  The  Liberty  of  the  Children  encreased  daily  more 
and  more,  and  their  Vexation  abated  by  degrees;  till  within  a 
little  while  they  arrived  to  Perfect  Ease,  which  for  some  weeks 
or  months  they  cheerfully  enjoyed.  Thus  Good  it  is  for  us 
to  draw  near  to  God. 

Sect.  XXVI.  Within  a  day  or  two  after  the  Fast,  the 
young  Woman  had  two  remarkable  Attempts  made  upon  her, 
by  her  invisible  Adversaries.  Once,  they  were  Dragging  her 
into  the  Oven  that  was  then  heating,  while  there  was  none  in 
the  Room  to  help  her.  She  clap't  her  hands  on  the  Mantle- 
tree1  to  save  her  self;  but  they  were  beaten  off;  and  she  had 
been  burned,  if  at  her  Out-cryes  one  had  not  come  in  from 
abroad  for  her  Relief.  Another  time,  they  putt  an  unseen 
Rope  with  a  cruel  Noose  about  her  Neck,  Whereby  she  was 
choaked,  until  she  was  black  in  the  Face;  and  though  it  was 
taken  off  before  it  had  kill'd  her,  yet  there  were  the  red  Marks 
of  it,  and  of  a  Finger  and  a  Thumb  near  it,  remaining  to  be 
seen  for  a  while  afterwards. 

Sect.  XXVII.  This  was  the  last  Molestation  that  they 
gave  her  for  a  While;  and  she  dwelt  at  my  house  the  rest  of 

1  Mantelpiece,  mantelshelf. 


1688]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  119 

the  Winter,  having  by  an  obliging  and  vertuous  Conversation, 
made  her  self  enough  Welcome  to  the  Family.  But  within 
about  a  Fortnight,  she  was  visited  with  two  dayes  of  as  Ex- 
traordinary Obsessions  as  any  we  had  been  the  Spectators  of. 
I  thought  it  convenient  for  me  to  entertain  my  Congregation 
with  a  Sermon  upon  the  memorable  Providences  which  these 
Children  had  been  concerned  in.  When  I  had  begun  to  study 
my  Sermon,  her  Tormentors  again  seiz'd  upon  her;  and  all 
Fryday  and  Saturday,  did  they  manage  her  with  a  special 
Design,  as  was  plain,  to  disturb  me  in  what  I  was  about.  In 
the  worst  of  her  extravagancies  formerly,  she  was  more  dutiful 
to  my  self,  than  I  had  reason  to  Expect,  but  now  her  whole 
carriage  to  me  was  with  a  Sauciness  that  I  had  not  been  us'd 
to  be  treated  with.  She  would  knock  at  my  Study  Door, 
affirming,  That  some  below  would  be  glad  to  see  me;  when  there 
was  none  that  ask't  for  me.  She  would  call  to  me  with  multi- 
plyed  Impertinencies,  and  throw  small  things  at  me  wherewith 
she  could  not  give  me  any  hurt.  Shee'd  Hector  me  at  a  strange 
rate  for  the  work  I  was  at,  and  threaten  me  with  I  know  not 
what  mischief  for  it.  She  got  a  History  that  I  had  Written 
of  this  Witchcraft,  and  tho  she  had  before  this  readd  it  over  and 
over,  yet  now  she  could  not  read  (I  believe)  one  entire  Sentence 
of  it;  but  she  made  of  it  the  most  ridiculous  Travesty  in  the 
World,  with  such  a  Fatness  and  excess  of  Fancy,  to  supply 
the  sense  that  she  put  upon  it,  as  I  was  amazed  at.  And  she 
particularly  told  me,  That  I  should  quickly  come  to  disgrace 
by  that  History. 

Sect.  XXVIII.  But  there  were  many  other  Wonders  be- 
held by  us  before  these  two  dayes  were  out.  Few  tortures  at- 
tended her,  but  such  as  were  provoked;  her  Frolicks  being  the 
things  that  had  most  possession  of  her.  I  was  in  Latin  telling 
some  young  Gentlemen  of  the  Colledge,  That  if  I  should  bid 
her  Look  to  God,  her  Eyes  would  be  put  out,  upon  which  her 
eyes  were  presently  served  so.  I  was  in  some  surprize,  When 
I  saw  that  her  Troublers  understood  Latin,  and  it  made  me 
willing  to  try  a  little  more  of  their  Capacity.  We  continu- 
ally found,  that  if  an  English  Bible  were  in  any  part  of  the 
Room  seriously  look'd  into,  though  she  saw  and  heard  nothing 
of  it,  she  would  immediately  be  in  very  dismal  Agonies.  We 
now  made  a  Tryal  more  than  once  or  twice,  of  the  Greek  New- 


120         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1688 

Testament,  and  the  Hebrew  Old  Testament;  and  We  still 
found,  That  if  one  should  go  to  read  in  it  never  so  secretly  and 
silently,  it  would  procure  her  that  Anguish,  Which  there  was 
no  enduring  of.  But  I  thought,  at  length,  I  fell  upon  one  in- 
ferior Language  which  the  Daemons  did  not  seem  so  well  to 
understand. 

Sect.  XXIX.  Devotion  was  now,  as  formerly,  the  tern- 
blest  of  all  the  provocations  that  could  be  given  her.  I  could 
by  no  means  bring  her  to  own,  That  she  desired  the  mercies 
of  God,  and  the  prayers  of  good  men.  I  would  have  obtained 
a  Sign  of  such  a  Desire,  by  her  Lifting  up  of  her  hand ;  but  she 
stirr'd  it  not :  I  then  lifted  up  her  hand  my  self,  and  though 
the  standers-by  thought  a  more  insignificant  thing  could  not  be 
propounded,  I  said,  "Child,  If  you  desire  those  things,  let  your 
hand  fall,  when  I  take  mine  away :"  I  took  my  hand  away,  and 
hers  continued  strangely  and  stifly  stretched  out,  so  that  for 
some  time,  she  could  not  take  it  down.  During  these  two 
dayes  we  had  Prayers  oftener  in  our  Family  than  at  other 
times;  and  this  was  her  usual  Behavior  at  them.  The  man 
that  prayed,  usually  began  with  Reading  the  Word  of  God; 
which  once  as  he  was  going  to  do,  she  call'd  to  him,  "Read  of 
Mary  Magdelen,  out  of  whom  the  Lord  cast  seven  Devils." 
During  the  time  of  Reading,  she  would  be  laid  as  one  fast  asleep ; 
but  when  Prayer  was  begun,  the  Devils  would  still  throw  her 
on  the  Floor,  at  the  feet  of  him  that  prayed.  There  would  she 
lye  and  Whistle  and  sing  and  roar,  to  drown  the  voice  of  the 
Prayer;  but  that  being  a  little  too  audible  for  Them,  they 
would  shutt  close  her  Mouth  and  her  ears,  and  yet  make  such 
odd  noises  in  her  Throat  as  that  she  her  self  could  not  hear 
our  Cries  to  God  for  her.  Shee'd  also  fetch  very  terrible 
Blowes  with  her  Fist,  and  Kicks  with  her  Foot  at  the  man 
that  prayed ;  but  still  (for  he  had  bid  that  none  should  hinder 
her)  her  Fist  and  Foot  would  alwaies  recoil,  when  they  came 
within  a  few  hairs  breadths  of  him  just  as  if  Rebounding  against 
a  Wall ;  so  that  she  touch'd  him  not,  but  then  would  beg  hard 
of  other  people  to  strike  him,  and  particularly  she  entreated 
them  to  take  the  Tongs  and  smite  him ;  Which  not  being  done, 
she  cryed  out  of  him,  "He  has  wounded  me  in  the  Head." 
But  before  Prayer  was  out,  she  would  be  laid  for  Dead,  wholly 
sensless  and  (unless  to  a  severe  Trial)  Breathless;  with  her 


1688]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  121 

Belly  swelled  like  a  Drum,  and  sometimes  with  croaking 
Noises  in  it ;  thus  would  she  ly,  most  exactly  with  the  stiffness 
and  posture  of  one  that  had  been  two  Days  laid  out  for  Dead. 
Once  lying  thus,  as  he  that  was  praying  was  alluding  to  the 
words  of  the  Canaanitess,  and  saying,  "Lord,  have  mercy  on 
a  Daughter  vexed  with  a  Devil;"  there  came  a  big,  but  low 
voice  from  her,  saying,  "There's  Two  or  Three  of  them"  (or 
us!)  and  the  standers-by  were  under  that  Apprehension,  as 
that  they  cannot  relate  whether  her  mouth  mov'd  in  speaking 
of  it.  When  Prayer  was  ended,  she  would  Revive  in  a  minute 
or  two,  and  continue  as  Frolicksome  as  before.  She  thus  con- 
tinued until  Saturday  towards  the  Evening;  when,  after  this 
man  had  been  at  Prayer,  I  charged  all  my  Family  to  admit  of 
no  Diversion  by  her  Frolicks,  from  such  exercises  as  it  was 
proper  to  begin  the  Sabbath  with.  They  took  the  Counsel; 
and  tho  she  essayed,  with  as  witty  and  as  nimble  and  as  various 
an  Application  to  each  of  them  successively  as  ever  I  saw,  to 
make  them  laugh,  yet  they  kept  close  to  their  good  Books 
which  then  called  for  their  Attention.  When  she  saw  that, 
immediately  she  fell  asleep;  and  in  two  or  three  hours,  she 
waked  perfectly  her  self;  weeping  bitterly  to  remember  (for 
as  one  come  out  of  a  dream  she  could  remember)  what  had 
befallen  her. 

Sect.  XXX.  After  this,  we  had  no  more  such  entertain- 
ments. The  Demons  it  may  be  would  once  or  twice  in  a 
Week  trouble  her  for  a  few  minutes  with  perhaps  a  twisting 
and  a  twink[ling]  of  her  eyes,  or  a  certain  Cough  which  did 
seem  to  be  more  than  ordinary.  Moreover,  Both  she  at  my 
house,  and  her  Sister  at  home,  at  the  time  which  they  call 
Christmas,  were  by  the  Daemons  made  very  drunk,  though 
they  had  no  strong  Drink  (as  we  are  fully  sure)  to  make  them 
so.  When  she  began  to  feel  her  self  thus  drunk,  she  com- 
plain'd,  "0  they  say  they  will  have  me  to  keep  Christmas 
with  them!  They  will  disgrace  me  when  they  can  do  nothing 
else!"  And  immediately  the  Ridiculous  Behaviours  of  one 
drunk  were  with  a  wonderful  exactness  represented  in  her 
Speaking,  and  Reeling,  and  Spewing,  and  anon  Sleeping,  till 
she  was  well  again.  But  the  Vexations  of  the  Children  other- 
wise abated  continually. 

They  first  came  to  be  alwaies  Quiet,  unless  upon  Provoca- 


122         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1688 

tions.  Then  they  got  Liberty  to  work,  but  not  to  read :  then 
further  on,  to  read,  but  not  aloud,  at  last  they  were  wholly 
delivered;  and  for  many  Weeks  remained  so. 

Sect.  XXXI.  I  was  not  unsensible,  that  it  might  be  an 
easie  thing  to  be  too  bold,  and  go  too  far,  in  making  of  Experi- 
ments :  Nor  was  I  so  unphilosophical  as  not  to  discern  many 
opportunityes  of  Giving  and  Solving  many  Problemes  which 
the  pneumatic  Discipline1  is  concerned  in.  I  confess  I  have 
Learn't  much  more  than  I  sought,  and  I  have  bin  informed  of 
some  things  relating  to  the  invisible  World,  which  as  I  did  not 
think  it  lawful  to  ask,  so  I  do  not  think  it  proper  to  tell;  yet 
I  will  give  a  Touch  upon  one  Problem  commonly  Discoursed 
of;  that  is, 

Whether  the  Devils  know  our  Thoughts,  or  no? 

I  will  not  give  the  Reader  my  Opinion  of  it,  but  only  my 
Experiment.  That  they  do  not,  was  conjectured  from  this: 
We  could  cheat  them  when  we  spoke  one  thing,  and  mean't 
another.  This  was  found  when  the  Children  were  to  be  im- 
dressed.  The  Devils  would  still  in  wayes  beyond  the  Force 
of  any  Imposture,  wonderfully  twist  the  part  that  was  to  be 
undress't,  so  that  there  was  no  coming  at  it.  But,  if  we  said, 
untye  his  neckcloth,  and  the  parties  bidden,  at  the  same  time, 
understood  our  intent  to  be,  unty  his  Shooe !  The  Neckcloth, 
and  not  the  shooe,  has  been  made  strangely  inaccessible.  But 
on  the  other  side,  That  they  do,  may  be  conjectured  from  This. 
I  called  the  young  Woman  at  my  House  by  her  Name,  intend- 
ing to  mention  unto  her  some  Religious  Expedient  whereby 
she  might,  as  I  thought,  much  relieve  her  self;  presently  her 
Neck  was  broke,  and  I  continued  watching  my  Opportunity 
to  say  what  I  designed.  I  could  not  get  her  to  come  out  of  her 
Fit,  until  I  had  laid  aside  my  purpose  of  speaking  what  I 
thought,  and  then  she  reviv'd  immediately.  Moreover  a 
young  Gentleman  visiting  of  me  at  my  Study  to  ask  my  ad- 
vice about  curing  the  Atheism  and  Blasphemy  which  he  com- 
plained his  Thoughts  were  more  than  ordinarily  then  infested 
with;  after  some  Discourse  I  carried  him  down  to  see  this  Girl 
who  was  then  molested  with  her  unseen  Fiends;  but  when  he 
came,  she  treated  him  very  coursly  and  rudely,  asking  him 
What  he  came  to  the  house  for?  and  seemed  very  angry  at  his 

1  The  science  of  spirits,  pneumatology,  i.  e.,  the  science  of  angels  and  demons. 


1688]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  123 

being  there,  urging  him  to  be  gone  with  a  very  impetuous  Im- 
portunity. Perhaps  all  Devils  are  not  alike  sagacious. 

Sect.  XXXII.  The  Last  Fit  that  the  young  Woman  had, 
was  very  peculiar.  The  Daemons  having  once  again  seiz'd 
her,  they  made  her  pretend  to  be  Dying;  and  Dying  truly  we 
fear'd  at  last  she  was :  She  lay,  she  tossed,  she  pull'd  just  like 
one  Dying,  and  urged  hard  for  some  one  to  dy  with  her,  seem- 
ing loth  to  dy  alone.  She  argued  concerning  Death,  in  strains 
that  quite  amazed  us;  and  concluded,  That  though  she  was 
loth  to  dy,  yet  if  God  said  she  must,  she  must;  adding  some- 
thing about  the  state  of  the  Countrey,  which  we  wondred  at. 
Anon,  the  Fit  went  over;  and  as  I  guessed  it  would  be,  it  was 
the  last  Fit  she  had  at  our  House.  But  all  my  Library  never 
afforded  me  any  Commentary  on  those  Paragraphs  of  the 
Gospels,  which  speak  of  Demoniacs,  equal  to  that  which  the 
passions  of  this  Child  have  given  me. 

Sect.  XXXIII.  This  is  the  Story  of  Goodwins  Children, 
a  Story  all  made  up  of  Wonders!  I  have  related  nothing  but 
what  I  judge  to  be  true.  I  was  my  self  an  Eye-witness  to  a 
large  part  of  what  I  tell ;  and  I  hope  my  neighbours  have  long 
thought,  That  I  have  otherwise  learned  Christ,  than  to  ly 
unto  the  World.  Yea,  there  is,  I  believe,  scarce  any  one  par- 
ticular, in  this  Narrative,  which  more  than  one  credible  Wit- 
ness will  not  be  ready  to  make  Oath  unto.  The  things  of 
most  Concernment  in  it  were  before  many  Critical  Observers; 
and  the  Whole  happened  in  the  Metropolis  of  the  English 
America,  unto  a  religious  and  industrious  Family  which  was 
visited  by  all  sorts  of  Persons,  that  had  a  mind  to  satisfy  them- 
selves. I  do  now  likewise  publish  the  History,  While  the 
thing  is  yet  fresh  and  New;  and  I  challenge  all  men  to  detect 
so  much  as  one  designed  Falshood,  yea,  or  so  much  as  one 
important  Mistake,  from  the  Egg  to  the  Apple  of  it.  I  have 
Writ  as  plainly  as  becomes  an  Historian,  as  truly  as  becomes  a 
Christian,  tho  perhaps  not  so  profitably  as  became  a  Divine. 
But  I  am  resolv'd  after  this,  never  to  use  but  just  one  grain 
of  patience  with  any  man  that  shall  go  to  impose  upon  me  a 
Denial  of  Devils,  or  of  Witches.  I  shall  count  that  man  Ig- 
norant who  shall  suspect,  but  I  shall  count  him  down-right 
Impudent  if  he  Assert  the  Non-Existence  of  things  which  we 
have  had  such  palpable  Convictions  of.  I  am  sure  he  cannot 


124         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1689 

be  a  Civil,  (and  some  will  question  whether  he  can  be  an  honest 
man)  that  shall  go  to  deride  the  Being  of  things  which  a  whole 
Countrey  has  now  beheld  an  house  of  pious  people  suffering 
not  a  few  Vexations  by.  But  if  the  Sadducee,  or  the  Atheist, 
have  no  right  Impressions  by  these  Memorable  Providences 
made  upon  his  mind ;  yet  I  hope  those  that  know  what  it  is 
to  be  sober  will  not  repent  any  pains  that  they  may  have 
taken  in  perusing  what  Records  of  these  Witchcrafts  and  Pos- 
sessions, I  thus  leave  unto  Posterity.1 

Postscript. 

You  have  seen  the  Trouble  and  the  Relief  of  John  Good- 
wins Children.  After  which  the  Daemons  were  let  loose  to 
make  a  fresh  Attacque  upon  them,  tho  not  in  a  manner  alto- 
gether so  terrible  and  afflictive  as  what  they  had  before  sus- 
teined.  All  the  Three  Children  were  visited  with  some  Re- 
turn of  their  Calamities;  but  the  Boy  was  the  Child  which 
endured  most  in  this  New  Assault.2  He  had  been  for  some  While 
kindly  entertained  with  Mr.  Baily3  at  Watertown,  where  he 
had  enjoyed  a  long  time  of  ease;  the  Devils  having  given  him 
but  little  Disturbance,  except  what  was  for  a  short  while  after 
his  first  coming  there.  He  no  sooner  came  Home,  but  he  began 
to  be  ill  again,  with  diverse  peculiar  Circumstances  attending 

lln  1697  the  Boston  merchant  Calef  wrote:  "In  the  times  of  Sir  Ed. 
Andros  his  Government,  Goody  Glover,  a  despised,  crazy,  ill-conditioned  old 
Woman,  an  Irish  Roman  Catholick,  was  tried  for  afflicting  Goodwins  Children; 
by  the  Account  of  which  Tryal,  taken  in  Short-hand,  for  the  use  of  the  Jury,  it 
may  appear  that  the  generality  of  her  Answers  were  Nonsense,  and  her  behaviour 
like  that  of  one  distracted.  Yet  the  Drs.  finding  her  as  she  had  been  for  many 
Years,  brought  her  in  Compos  Mentis;  and  setting  aside  her  crazy  Answers  to 
some  insnaring  questions,  the  proof  against  her  was  wholly  deficient :  The  Jury 
brought  her  Guilty. 

"Mr.  Cotton  Mather  was  the  most  active  and  forward  of  any  Minister  in 
the  Country  in  those  matters,  taking  home  one  of  the  Children,  and  managing 
such  Intreagues  with  that  Child,  and  after  printing  such  an  Account  of  the  whole, 
in  his  Memorable  Providences,  as  conduced  much  to  the  kindling  those  flames, 
that  in  Sir  Williams  time  [1692]  threatned  the  devouring  this  Country."  (More 
Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World,  pp.  151-152.) 

1  John,  now  aged  12.  The  younger  boy,  Benjamin,  it  will  be  remembered, 
had  early  been  "delivered"  (§6,  above). 

1  The  Rev.  John  Bailey,  then  minister  at  Watertown. 


1689]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  125 

of  him.  There  was  this  particularly  remarkable;  That  the 
Boy  dream't  he  had  a  Bone  within  his  skin  growing  cross  his 
Ribs;  and  when  he  awaked,  he  felt  and  found  a  thing  there 
which  was  esteem'd  a  Bone,  by  them  that  handled  it;  only 
every  one  wondered  how  it  should  be  lodged  there.  An  expert 
Chirurgeon,  Dr.  John  Clark,  being  advis'd  with  about  it,  very 
dexterously  took  it  out;  and  it  prov'd  not  the  imagined  Bone, 
but  a  considerable  Pin;  a  brass  Pin,  which  could  not  possibly 
have  come  to  ly  there  as  it  did,  without  the  Prestigious1 
Conveyance  of  a  Misterious  Witchcraft.  Another  time,  on  a 
Lord's  Day  his  Father  would  have  taken  him  to  Meeting  with 
him ;  and  when  his  Father  spoke  of  going  to  some  of  the  Assem- 
blies in  the  Town  (particularly  both  the  North  and  the  South) 
the  Boy  would  be  cast  into  such  Tortures  and  Postures,  that 
he  would  sooner  Dy  than  go  out  of  doors;  but  if  his  Father 
spoke  of  going  to  others  of  the  Assemblies  in  the  Town,  par- 
ticularly the  Quakers,  the  boy  in  a  moment  would  be  as  well 
as  could  be.  The  tryal  of  this  was  more  than  five  times  re- 
peated, and  were  it  fully  related,  would  be  more  than  ten  times 
Admired. 

Our  Prayers  for  the  Children  were  justly  renewed,  and  I 
hope  not  altogether  unanswered.  Upon  one  Prayer  over  two 
of  them,  they  had  about  a  Fortnights  ease;  and  their  Ails 
again  returning,  Prayer  was  again  awakened,  with  some  Cir- 
cumstances not  proper  to  be  exposed  unto  the  World.  God 
gave  a  present  Abatement  hereupon  to  the  Maladies  of  the 
Children,  and  caused  their  Invaders  to  retire;  so  that  by  de- 
grees they  were  fully  and  quickly  Delivered.  Two  days  of 
Prayer  obtained  the  Deliverance  of  two.  The  Third,  namely 
the  Boy,  Remaining  under  some  Annoyance  by  the  evil  spirits, 
a  third  Day  was  employ'd  for  him,  and  he  soon  found  the 
blessed  effects  of  it  in  his  Deliverance  also.  There  were  sev- 
eral very  memorable  things  attending  this  Deliverance  of  the 
Children,  and  the  Vowes  and  the  Pleas,  used  in  the  Prayers 
which  were  thereby  answerd,  but  they  were  all  Private,  yea, 
in  a  sort,  Secret;  Non  est  Religio  ubi  omnia  patent ;2  and  I 
understand  (for  I  have  some  Acquaintance  with  him)  That  the 

1  /.  e.,  preternatural :  the  lying  marvels  of  devils  were  counted  "prestigious," 
not  miraculous. 

2  "Where  there  is  no  mystery,  there  is  no  religion." 


126         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1689 

Friend  of  the  Children,1  whom  God  gave  to  be  thus  concerned 
and  successful  for  them,  desires  me  not  to  let  Reports  of  those 
things  go  out  of  the  Walls  of  a  Study,  but  to  leave  them  rather 
for  the  Notice  of  the  other  World.  I  think  it  will  not  be  im- 
proper to  tell  the  \Vorld,  that  one  thing  in  the  Childrens  De- 
liverance was  the  strange  Death  of  an  horrible  old  Woman, 
who  was  presum'd  to  have  a  great  hand  in  their  Affliction.2 
Before  her  Death  and  at  it,  the  Aims-House  where  she  lived 
was  terrified  with  fearful  noises,  and  she  seem'd  to  have  her 
Death  hastened  by  dismal  Blowes  received  from  the  invisible 
World.  But  having  mentioned  this,  all  that  I  have  now  to 
publish  is  That  Prayer  and  Faith  was  the  thing  which  drove 
the  Divels  from  the  Children;  and  I  am  to  bear  this  Testimony 
unto  the  world,  That  the  Lord  is  nigh  to  all  them,  who  call 
upon  him  in  truth,  and,  That  blessed  are  all  they  that  wait 
for  Him. 

Finished,  June  7th,  1689.' 

Mantissa. 

To  the  foregoing  Narrative,  we  have  added  an  account 
given  us  by  the  Godly  Father  of  these  Haunted  Children; 
who  upon  his  Reading  over  so  much  of  our  History,  as  was 
written  of  their  Exercise  before  their  full  deliverance,  was  will- 
ing to  express  his  Attestation  to  the  Truth  of  it;  with  this 
further  Declaration  of  the  Sense  which  he  had  of  the  unusual 
Miseries,  that  then  lay  upon  his  Family.  'Tis  in  his  own 
Style;  but  I  suppose  a  Pen  hath  not  commonly  been  managed 
with  more  cleanly  Discourse  by  an  Hand  used  only  to  the 
Trowel ;  and  his  Condition  hath  been  such,  that  he  may  fairly 
have  Leave  to  speak. 

IN  the  year  1688,  about  Midsummer,  it  pleased  the  Lord 
to  visit  one  of  my  children  with  a  sore  Visitation ;  and  she  was 

1  He  is  speaking,  of  course,  of  himself :  the  narrative  (as  must  be  inferred 
from  §  27,  above)  was  circulated  in  manuscript  before  its  printing,  and  doubtless 
without  the  author's  name.  In  revising  it  for  the  printer  this  page  seems  to 
have  escaped  his  eye. 

1  Who  this  second  old  woman  was  does  not  appear. 

1  The  story  of  the  Goodwin  children  is  retold  by  Mather  in  his  Magnolia 
(1702),  but  without  added  details. 


1688]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  127 

not  only  tormented  in  her  Body,  but  was  in  great  distress  of 
Mind,  Crying  out,  That  she  was  in  the  dark  concerning  her 
Souls  estate,  and  that  she  had  mispent  her  precious  time ;  She 
and  we  thinking  her  time  was  near  at  an  end.  Hearing  those 
Shrieks  and  Groans  which  did  not  only  pierce  the  ears,  but 
Hearts  of  her  poor  Parents,  now  was  a  time  for  me  to  Consider 
with  my  self,  and  to  look  into  my  own  heart  and  life,  and  see 
how  matters  did  there  stand  between  God  and  my  own  soul, 
and  see  Wherefore  the  Lord  was  thus  contending  with  me. 
And  upon  Enquiry  I  found  cause  to  judge  my  self,  and  to 
justify  the  Lord.  This  Affliction  continuing  some  time,  the 
Lord  saw  good  then  to  double  the  affliction  in  smiting  down 
another  Child,  and  that  which  was  most  heart  breaking  of  all, 
and  did  double  this  double  affliction  was,  it  was  apparent  and 
judged  by  all  that  saw  them,  that  the  Devil  and  his  Instru- 
ments had  a  hand  in  it. 

The  consideration  of  this  was  most  dreadful :  I  thought  of 
what  David  said,  2  Sam.  24.  14.  If  he  feared  so  to  fall  into 
the  hands  of  Men,  oh!  then  to  think  of  the  Horror  of  our  con- 
dition, to  be  in  the  Hands  of  Devils  and  Witches!  This  our 
doleful  condition  moved  us  to  call  to  our  Friends  to  have  pity 
on  us,  for  Gods  Hand  had  touched  us.  I  was  ready  to  say, 
that  no  ones  affliction  was  like  mine;  That  my  little  House 
that  should  be  a  little  Bethel  for  God  to  dwell  in,  should  be 
made  a  Den  for  Devils;  that  those  little  Bodies,  that  should 
be  Temples  for  the  Holy  Ghost  to  dwell  in,  should  be  thus 
harrassed  and  abused  by  the  Devil  and  his  cursed  Brood. 
But  now  this  twice  doubled  affliction  is  doubled  again.  Two 
more  of  my  Children  are  smitten  down,  oh!  the  Cries,  the 
Shrieks,  the  Tortures  of  these  poor  Children !  Doctors  cannot 
help,  Parents  weep  and  lament  over  them,  but  cannot  ease 
them.  Now  I  considering  my  affliction  to  be  more  than  ordi- 
nary, it  did  certainly  call  for  more  than  ordinary  Prayer.  I 
acquainted  Mr.  Allen,  Mr.  Moodey,  Mr.  Willard,  and  Mr.  C. 
Mather,  the  four  Ministers  of  the  Town  with  it,  and  Mr. 
Morton  of  Charlstown;  earnestly  desiring  them,  that  they, 
with  some  other  praying  people  of  God,  would  meet  at  my 
house,  and  there  be  earnest  with  God,  on  the  behalf  of  us  and 
our  Children ;  which  they  (I  thank  them  for  it)  readily  attended 
with  great  fervency  of  Spirit;  but  as  for  my  part,  my  heart 


128         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1688 

was  ready  to  sink  to  hear  and  see  those  doleful  Sights.  Now 
I  thought  that  I  had  greatly  neglected  my  duty  to  my  Children, 
in  not  admonishing  and  instructing  of  them;  and  that  God 
was  hereby  calling  my  sins  to  mind,  to  slay  my  Children. 
Then  I  pondered  of  that  place  in  Numb.  23.  23.  Surely  there 
is  no  Inchantment  against  Jacob,  neither  is  there  any  Devination 
against  Israel.  And  now  I  thought  I  had  broke  Covenant 
with  God,  not  only  in  one  respect  but  in  many,  but  it  pleased 
the  Lerd  to  bring  that  to  mind  in  Heb.  8.  12.  For  I  mil  be 
merciful  to  their  unrighteousness,  and  their  Sins  and  Iniquities 
will  I  remember  no  more.  The  Consideration  how  the  Lord 
did  deal  with  Job,  and  his  Patience  and  the  End  the  Lord 
made  with  him  was  some  support  to  me.  I  thought  also,  on 
what  David  said,  that  He  had  sinned,  but  what  have  these 
poor  Lambs  done?  But  yet  in  the  midd'st  of  my  tumultous 
Thoughts  within  me,  it  was  Gods  Comforts  that  did  delight 
my  soul.  That  in  the  18  of  Luke,  and  the  Beginning,  Where 
Christ  spake  the  Parable  for  that  end,  that  men  ought  alwaies 
to  pray  and  not  faint.  This,  with  many  other  places,  bore  up 
my  spirit.  I  thought  with  Jonah  that  I  would  yet  again  Look 
towards  God's  holy  Temple;  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And  I 
did  greatly  desire  to  find  the  Son  of  God  with  me  in  this 
Furnace  of  Affliction,  knowing  hereby  that  no  harm  shall 
befall  me.  But  now  this  solemn  day  of  Prayer  and  Fasting 
being  at  an  End,  there  was  an  Eminent  Answer  of  it :  for  one 
of  my  Children  was  delivered,  and  one  of  the  wicked  instru- 
ments of  the  Devil  discovered,  and  her  own  mouth  condemned 
her,  and  so  accordingly  Executed.  Here  was  Food  for  Faith, 
and  great  encouragement  still  to  hope  and  quietly  wait  for 
the  Salvation  of  the  Lord;  the  Ministers  still  counselling  and 
encouraging  me  to  labour  to  be  found  in  Gods  way,  commiting 
my  case  to  him,  and  not  to  use  any  way  not  allowed  in  Gods 
Word.  It  was  a  thing  not  a  little  comfortable  to  us,  to  see 
that  the  people  of  God  was  so  much  concerned  about  our 
lamentable  condition,  remembering  us  at  all  times  in  their 
prayers,  which  I  did  look  at  as  a  token  for  good;  but  you  must 
think  it  was  a  time  of  sore  Temptation  with  us,  for  many  did 
say,  (yea,  and  some  good  people  too)  were  it  their  case,  that 
they  would  try  some  Tricks,  that  should  give  ease  to  their 
Children:  But  I  thought  for  us  to  forsake  the  counsel  of 


1688]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  129 

good  old  men,  and  to  take  the  counsel  of  the  young  ones,  it 
might  ensnare  our  Souls,  though  for  the  present  it  might  offer 
some  relief  to  our  Bodies;  which  was  a  thing  I  greatly  feared; 
and  my  Children  were  not  at  any  time  free  for  doing  any  such 
thing.  It  was  a  time  of  sore  affliction,  but  it  was  mixed  with 
abundance  of  mercy,  for  my  heart  was  many  a  time  made 
glad  in  the  house  of  Prayer.  The  Neighbourhood  pitied  us, 
and  were  very  helpful  to  us :  Moreover,  though  my  Children 
were  thus  in  every  Limb  and  Joynt  tormented  by  those  Chil- 
dren of  the  Devil,  they  also  using  their  tongues  at  their  plea- 
sure, sometimes  one  way,  sometimes  another;  yet  the  Lord 
did  herein  prevent  them,  that  they  could  not  make  them  speak 
wicked  words,  though  they  did  many  times  hinder  them  from 
speaking  good  ones;  had  they  in  these  Fits  blasphemed  the 
Name  of  the  Holy  God,  this  you  may  think  would  have  been 
an  heart-breaking  thing  to  us  the  poor  Parents;  but  God  in 
his  mercy  prevented  them,  a  thing  worth  taking  notice  of. 
Likewise  they  slept  well  a  nights :  And  the  Ministers  did  often 
visit  us,  and  pray  with  us,  and  for  us;  and  their  love  and  pity 
was  so  great,  their  Prayers  so  earnest  and  constant,  that  I 
could  not  but  admire  at  it.  Mr.  Mather  particularly;  now 
his  bowels  so  yearned  towards  us  in  this  sad  condition,  that  he 
not  only  pray's  with  us,  and  for  us,  but  he  taketh  one  of  my 
Children  home  to  his  own  house;  which  indeed  was  but  a 
troublesome  guest,  for  such  an  one  that  had  so.  much  work 
lying  upon  his  hands  and  heart :  He  took  much  pains  in  this 
great  Service,  to  pull  this  Child,  and  her  Brother  and  Sister 
out  of  the  hand  of  the  Devil.  Let  us  now  admire  and  adore 
that  Fountain  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  from  whence  those  streams 
come.  The  Lord  himself  will  requite  his  labour  of  love.  Our 
case  is  yet  very  sad,  and  doth  call  for  more  Prayer;  and  the 
good  Ministers  of  this  Town  and  Charlstown  readily  came, 
with  some  other  good  praying  people  to  my  house,  to  keep 
another  Day  of  solemn  Fasting  and  Prayer;  which  our  Lord 
saith  this  kind  goeth  out  by.  My  Children  being  all  at  home, 
the  two  biggest  lying  on  the  bed,  one  of  them  would  fain  have 
kicked  the  good  men  while  they  were  wrestling  with  God  for 
them,  had  not  I  held  him  with  all  my  power  and  might;  and 
sometimes  he  would  stop  his  own  ears.  This  you  must  needs 
think  was  a  cutting  thing  to  the  poor  parents.  Now  our  hearts 


130         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1688 

were  ready  to  sink,  had  not  God  put  under  his  everlasting  arms 
of  Mercy  and  helped  us  still  to  hope  in  his  mercy,  and  to  be 
quiet,  knowing  that  He  is  God,  and  that  it  was  not  for  the 
potsheards  of  the  earth  to  strive  with  their  Maker.  Wrll 
might  David  say,  that  had  not  the  Law  of  his  God  been  his 
delight,  he  had  perished  in  his  Affliction.  Now  the  Promises 
of  God  are  sweet;  God  having  promised,  to  hear  the  prayer  of 
the  destitute,  and  not  to  despise  their  prayer;  and  He  will  not 
fail  the  Expectation  of  those  that  wait  on  Him;  but  He  hear- 
eth  the  cry  of  the  poor  and  needy.  These  Jacobs  came  and 
wrestled  with  God  for  a  Blessing  on  this  poor  Family,  which 
indeed  I  hope  they  obtained,  and  may  be  now  worthy  of  the 
Name  Israel,  who  prevailed  with  God,  and  would  not  let  Him 
go  till  He  had  blessed  us.  For  soon  after  this,  there  were  two 
more  of  my  children  delivered  out  of  this  horrible  pit.  Here 
was  now  a  double  mercy,  and  how  sweet  was  it,  knowing  it 
came  in  Answer  of  Prayer!  Now  we  see  and  know,  it  is  not 
a  vain  thing  to  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord.  For  He  is  a 
present  help  in  the  time  of  trouble;  and  we  may  boldly  say 
the  Lord  has  been  our  helper.  I  had  sunk,  but  Jesus  put  forth 
His  hand  and  bore  me  up.  My  Faith  was  ready  to  fail,  but 
this  was  a  support  to  me  that  Christ  said  to  Peter,  "I  have 
prayed  for  thee  that  thy  faith  fail  not."  And  many  other 
Promises  were  as  Cordials  to  my  drooping  soul.  And  the 
Consideration  of  all  those  that  ever  came  to  Christ  Jesus  for 
Healing,  that  He  healed  their  bodies,  pardoned  their  Sins, 
and  healed  their  Souls  too;  which  I  hope  in  God  may  be  the 
fruit  of  this  present  Affliction.  If  God  be  pleased  to  make 
the  Fruit  of  this  Affliction  to  be  to  take  away  our  sin,  and 
cleanse  us  from  iniquity,  and  to  put  us  on  with  greater  dili- 
gence to  make  our  Calling  and  election  sure,  then,  happy 
Affliction!  The  Lord  said  that  I  had  need  of  this  to  awake  me. 
I  have  found  a  prosperous  Condition  a  dangerous  Condition. 
I  have  taken  notice  and  considered  more  of  God's  Goodness 
in  these  few  weeks  of  Affliction,  than  in  many  years  of  Pros- 
perity. I  may  speak  it  with  shame,  so  wicked  and  deceitful, 
and  ungrateful  is  my  heart,  that  the  more  God  hath  been  doing 
for  me,  the  less  I  have  been  doing  for  Him.  My  Returns  have 
not  been  according  to  my  Receivings.  The  Lord  help  me  now 
to  praise  Him  in  heart,  lip,  and  life.  The  Lord  help  us  to  see 


1684]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  131 

by  this  Visitation,  what  need  we  have  to  get  shelter  under  the 
wing  of  Christ,  to  hast  to  the  Rock,  where  we  may  be  safe. 
We  see  how  ready  the  Devils  are  to  catch  us,  and  torment  our 
Bodies,  and  he  is  as  diligent  to  ensnare  our  Souls,  and  that 
many  waies;  but  let  us  put  on  all  our  spiritual  Armour,  and 
follow  Christ  the  Captain  of  our  Salvation;  and  tho  we  meet 
with  the  Cross,  let  us  bear  it  patiently  and  cheerfully,  for  if 
Jesus  Christ  be  at  the  one  end,  we  need  not  fear  the  Heaft1  of 
it :  if  we  have  Christ  we  have  enough;  He  can  make  His  Rod 
as  well  as  His  Staffe  to  be  a  comfort  to  us;  and  we  shall  not 
want  if  we  be  the  Sheep  of  Christ.  If  we  want  Afflictions  we 
shall  have  them,  and  sanctified  Afflictions  are  choice  mercies. 
Now  I  earnestly  desire  the  Prayer  of  all  good  people;  That 
the  Lord  would  be  pleased  to  perfect  that  Work  He  hath 
begun,  and  make  it  to  appear  that  Prayer  is  stronger  than 
Witchcraft. 

JOHN  GOODWIN. 
Decemb.  12,  1688. 

This  is  our  First  Example;  and  it  is  This  which  has  occa- 
sioned the  Publication  of  the  Rest. 

Exemple  II. 

Among  those  Judgments  of  God,  which  are  a  great  Deep, 
I  suppose  few  are  more  unfathomable  than  this,  That  pious 
and  holy  men  suffer  sometimes  by  the  Force  of  horrid  Witch- 
crafts, and  hellish  Witches  are  permitted  to  break  thorough 
the  Hedge  which  our  Heavenly  Father  has  made  about  them 
that  seek  Him.  I  suppose  the  Instances  of  this  direful  thing 
are  Seldom,  but  that  they  are  not  Never  we  can  produce  very 
dismal  Testimony.  One,  and  that  no  less  Recent  than  Awful, 
I  shall  now  offer:  and  the  Reader  of  it  will  thereby  learn,  I 
hope,  to  work  out  his  own  Salvation  with  Fear  and  Trembling. 

Sect.  I.  Mr.  Philip  Smith,  aged  about  Fifty  years,  a  Son 
of  eminently  vertuous  Parents,  a  Deacon  of  the  Church  at 
Hadley,  a  Member  of  our  General  Court,  an  Associate  in  their 
County  Court,  a  Select-man  for  the  affairs  of  the  Town,  a 
Lieutenant  in  the  Troop,  and,  which  crowns  all,  a  man  for 

1  Heft,  weight. 


132         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1684 

Devotion  and  Gravity,  and  all  that  was  Honest,  exceeding 
exemplary;  Such  a  man  in  the  Winter  of  the  Year  1684  was 
murdered  with  an  hideous  Witchcraft,  which  filled  all  those 
parts  with  a  just  astonishment.  This  was  the  manner  of  the 
Murder. 

Sect.  II.  He  was  concerned  about  Relieving  the  Indigen- 
cies  of  a  wretched  woman  in  the  Town ;  who  being  dissatisfied 
at  some  of  his  just  cares  about  her,  expressed  her  self  unto  him 
in  such  a  manner,  that  he  declared  himself  apprehensive  of 
receiving  mischief  at  her  hands;  he  said,  he  doubted  she 
would  attempt  his  Hurt. 

Sect.  III.  About  the  beginning  of  January  he  began  to 
be  very  Valetudinarious,1  labouring  under  those  that  seemed 
Ischiadick*  pains.  As  his  Illness  increased  on  him,  so  his 
Goodness  increased  in  him;  the  standers-by  could  in  him  see 
one  ripening  apace  for  another  world;  and  one  filled  not  onfy 
with  Grace  to  an  high  degree,  but  also  with  Exceeding  Joy. 
Such  Weanedness  from,  and  Weariness  of  the  World,  he 
shew'd,  that  he  knew  not  (he  said)  whether  he  might  pray  for 
his  continuance  here.  Such  Assurance  had  he  of  the  Divine 
Love  unto  him,  that  in  Raptures  he  would  cry  out,  "Lord,  stay 
thy  hand,  it  is  enough,  it  is  more  than  thy  frail  servant  can 
bear!"  But  in  the  midst  of  these  things,  he  uttered  still  an 
hard  suspicion,  That  the  ill  Woman  who  had  threatned  him, 
had  made  impressions  on  him. 

Sect.  IV.  While  he  remained  yet  of  a  sound  mind,  he 
very  sedately,  but  very  solemnly  charged  his  Brother  to  look 
well  after  him.  Tho'  he  said  he  now  understood  himself,  yet 
he  knew  not  how  he  might  be;  "but  be  sure"  (said  he)  "to 
have  a  care  of  me  for  you  shall  see  strange  things.  There  shall 
be  a  wonder  in  Hadley!  I  shall  not  be  dead  when  it  is  thought 
I  am!"  This  Charge  |he  pressed  over  and  over;  and  after- 
wards became  Delirious. 

Sect  V.  Being  become  Delirious,  he  had  a  Speech  Inces- 
sant and  Voluble  beyond  all  imagination,  and  this  in  divers 
Tones  and  sundry  voices,  and  (as  was  thought)  in  various 
languages. 

Sect.  VI.  He  cryed  out  not  only  of  sore  pain,  but  also  of 
sharp  Pins,  pricking  of  him :  sometimes  in  his  Toe,  sometimes 
1  Unwell.  *  Sciatic. 


1684]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  133 

in  his  Arm,  as  if  there  had  been  hundreds  of  them.  But  the 
people  upon  search  never  found  any  more  than  One. 

Sect.  VII.  In  his  Distresses  he  exclaimed  very  much  upon 
the  Woman  afore-mentioned,  naming  her,  and  some  others,  and 
saying, " Do  you  not  see  them ;  There, There,  There  they  stand." 

Sect.  VIII.  There  was  a  strong  smell  of  something  like 
Musk,  which  was  divers  times  in  the  Room  where  he  was,  and 
in  the  other  Rooms,  and  without  the  House;  of  which  no 
cause  could  be  rendred.  The  sick-man  as  well  as  others, 
complained  of  it;  and  once  particularly,  it  so  siez'd  an  Apple 
Roasting  at  the  Fire,  that  they  were  forced  to  throw  it  away. 

Sect.  IX.  Some  that  were  about  him,  being  almost  at 
their  wits  end,  by  beholding  the  greatness  and  the  strange- 
ness of  his  Calamities,  did  three  or  four  times  in  one  Night, 
go  and  give  Disturbance  to  the  Woman  that  we  have  spoken 
of:  all  the  while  they  were  doing  of  it,  the  good  man  was  at 
ease,  and  slept  as  a  weary  man;  and  these  were  all  the  times 
they  perceived  him  to  take  any  sleep  at  all. 

Sect.  X.  A  small  Galley-Pot 1  of  Alkermes,2  that  was  near 
full,  and  carefully  look't  after,  yet  unto  the  surprize  of  the 
people  was  quite  emptied,  so  that  the  sick  man  could  not  have 
the  Benefit  of  it. 

Sect.  XL  Several  persons  that  sat  by  him  heard  a  Scratch- 
ing, that  seem'd  to  be  on  the  Ticking  near  his  feet,  while  his 
Feet  lay  wholly  still;  nay,  were  held  in  the  hands  of  others, 
and  his  hands  were  far  of 3  another  way. 

Sect.  XII.  Sometimes  Fire  was  seen  on  the  Bed,  or  the 
Covering,  and  when  the  Beholders  began  to  discourse  of  it, 
it  would  vanish  away. 

Sect.  XIII.  Diverse  people  felt  something  often  stir  in  the 
Bed,  at  some  distance  from  his  Body.  To  appearance,  the 
thing  that  stirr'd  was  as  big  as  a  Cat :  some  try'd  to  lay  hold 
on  it  with  their  hands,  but  under  the  Covering  nothing  could 
be  found.  A  discreet  and  sober  Woman,  resting  on  the  Beds 
Feet,  felt  as  it  were  a  Hand,  the  Thumb  and  the  Finger  of  it, 
taking  her  by  the  side,  and  giving  her  a  Pinch;  but  turning 
to  see  What  it  might  be,  nothing  was  to  be  seen. 

1  A  glazed  earthen  pot,  such  as  apothecaries  use. 

1 A  once  famous  confect  made  from  the  kermes  insect,  then  thought  a  berry. 

a  Off. 


134         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1684 

Sect.  XIV.  The  Doctor  standing  by  the  sick  man,  and 
seeing  him  ly  still,  he  did  himself  try  to  lean  on  the  Beds-head; 
but  he  found  the  Bed  to  shake  so,  that  his  head  was  often 
knocked  against  the  Post,  though  he  strove  to  hold  it  still; 
and  others  upon  Tryal  found  the  same.  Also,  the  sick  man 
lying  too  near  the  side  of  the  Bed,  a  very  strong  and  stout  man 
try'd  to  lift  him  a  little  further  into  the  Bed;  but  with  all  his 
might  he  could  not;  tho'  trying  by  and  by,  he  could  lift  a 
Bed-stead,  with  a  Bed,  and  man  lying  on  it,  all,  without  any 
strain  to  himself  at  ah1. 

Sect.  XV.  Mr.  Smith  dyes.  The  Jury  that  viewed  the 
Corpse  found  a  Swelling  on  one  Breast,  which  rendered  it 
like  a  Womans.  His  Privities  were  wounded  or  burned.  On 
his  back,  besides  Bruises,  there  were  several  pricks,  or  holes, 
as  if  done  with  Awls  or  Pins. 

Sect.  XVI.  After  the  Opinion  of  all  had  pronounc'd  him 
dead,  his  Countenance  continued  as  Lively  as  if  he  had  been 
Alive;  his  Eyes  closed  as  in  a  slumber;  and  his  nether  Jaw 
not  falling  down.  Thus  he  remained  from  Satureday  morning 
about  Sun-rise,  till  Sabbath-Day  in  the  After-noon,  When 
those  that  took  him  out  of  the  Bed  found  him  still  Warm, 
though  the  Season  was  as  Cold  as  had  almost  been  known  in 
an  Age.  On  the  Night  after  the  Sabbath,  his  Countenance 
was  yet  as  fresh  as  before;  but  on  Monday  Morning,  they 
found  the  Face  extremely  tumified  and  discoloured;  'twas 
black  and  blue,  and  fresh  blood  seem'd  to  run  down  his  Cheek 
in  the  Hairs. 

Sect.  XVII.  The  night  after  he  died,  a  very  credible  per- 
son, watching  of  the  Corpse,  perceived  the  Bed  to  move  and 
stir,  more  than  once;  but  by  no  means  could  find  out  the  cause 
of  it. 

Sect.  XVIII.  The  second  night,  some  that  were  preparing 
for  the  Funeral  do  say,  That  they  heard  diverse  Noises  in  the 
Room,  where  the  Corpse  lay ;  as  though  there  had  been  a  great 
Removing  and  Clattering  of  stools  and  chairs. 

Upon  the  whole,  it  appeared  unquestionable  that  Witch- 
craft had  brought  a  period  unto  the  life  of  so  good  a  man.1 

1  This  story,  too,  is  told  again  in  the  Magnolia,  and  in  nearly  the  same  words. 


1648]         C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  135 


Exemple  IV. 

So  Horrid  and  Hellish  is  the  Crime  of  Witchcraft,  that 
were  Gods  Thoughts  as  our  thoughts,  or  Gods  Wayes  as  our 
wayes,  it  could  be  no  other  but  Unpardonable.  But  that  the 
Grace  of  God  may  be  admired,  and  that  the  worst  of  Sinners 
may  be  encouraged,  Behold,  Witchcraft  also  has  found  a 
Pardon.  Let  no  man  Despair  of  his  own  Forgiveness,  but  let 
no  man  also  Delay  about  his  own  Repentance,  how  aggravated 
soever  his  Transgressions  are.  From  the  Hell  of  Witchcraft 
our  merciful  Jesus  can  fetch  a  guilty  Creature  to  the  Glory  of 
Heaven.  Our  Lord  hath  sometimes  Recovered  those  who  have 
in  the  most  horrid  manner  given  themselves  away  to  the  De- 
stroyer of  their  souls. 

Sect.  I.  There  was  one  Mary  Johnson  tryed  at  Hartford, 
in  this  Countrey,  upon  an  Indictment  of  Familiarity  with  the 
Devil.  She  was  found  Guilty  of  the  same,  cheefly  upon  her 
own  Confession,  and  condemned. 

Sect.  II.  Many  years  are  past  since  her  Execution;  and 
the  Records  of  the  Court  are  but  short;  yet  there  are  several 
Memorables  that  are  found  credibly  Related  and  Attested 
concerning  her.1 

Sect.  III.  She  said,  That  a  Devil  was  wont  to  do  her 
many  services.  Her  Master  once  blam'd  her  for  not  carrying 
out  the  Ashes,  and  a  Devil  did  clear  the  Hearth  for  her  after- 
wards. Her  Master  sending  her  into  the  Field,  to  drive  out 

1  A  Mary  Johnson  was  indicted  for  witchcraft  at  Hartford  in  1648;  but  the 
records  of  her  case  are  now  much  shorter  than  in  Mather's  day,  for  they  consist 
of  a  single  entry  of  the  Particular  Court,  December  7,  1648  (Colonial  Records  of 
Connecticut,  I.  171),  stating  that  "the  Jury  finds  the  Bill  of  Inditement  against 
Mary  Jonson,  that  by  her  owne  confession  shee  is  guilty  of  familiarity  with  the 
Devill."  It  has  been  inferred  that  she  was  of  Wethersfield  because  an  earlier 
passage  (Records,  I.  143)  shows  that  in  1646  a  woman  of  the  name  was  sentenced, 
for  thievery,  to  be  whipped  both  at  Hartford  and  at  Wethersfield;  and  later 
passages  (Records,  I.  209,  222,  226,  332)  providing  (May  21,  1650)  for  the  pay- 
ment of  "charges  for  Elizabeth  Johnson's  imprisonment  to  the  first  Thursday  of 
next  month,  being  24  weeks,"  and  for  the  care  of  "Goodwife  Johnson's  child, 
which  was  borne  in  the  prison,"  have  been  supposed  to  refer  to  her,  but  Mather's 
account  alone  tells  us  of  her  execution  and  something  of  the  evidence.  The  story 
is  told  by  him  again  in  his  Magnolia,  but  in  substantially  the  same  words.  His 
knowledge  doubtless  came  through  Mr.  Stone. 


136         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES      [1658? 

the  Hogs  that  us'd  to  break  into  it,  a  Devil  would  scowre  them 
out,  and  make  her  laugh  to  see  how  he  feaz'd  'em  about. 

Sect.  IV.  Her  first  Familiarity  with  the  Devils  came  by 
Discontent;  and  Wishing  the  Devil  to  take  That  and  t'other 
Thing;  and,  The  devil  to  do  This  and  That;  Whereupon  a 
Devil  appeared  unto  her,  tendring  her  the  best  service  he 
could  do  for  her. 

Sect.  V.  She  confessed  that  she  was  guilty  of  the  Murder 
of  a  Child,  and  that  she  had  been  guilty  of  Uncleanness  with 
Men  and  Devils. 

Sect  VI.  In  the  time  of  her  Imprisonment,  the  famous 
Mr.  Samuel  Stone1  was  at  great  pains  to  promote  her  Con- 
version unto  God,  and  represent  unto  her  both  her  Misery  and 
Remedy;  the  Success  of  Which,  was  very  desirable,  and  con- 
siderable. 

Sect.  VII.  She  was  by  most  Observers  judged  very  Peni- 
tent, both  before  and  at  her  Execution;  and  she  went  out  of 
the  World  with  many  Hopes  of  Mercy  through  the  Merit  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Being  asked,  what  she  built  her  hopes  upon; 
She  answered,  on  those  \Vords,  Come  to  me  att  ye  that  labour 
and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  mil  give  you  Rest',  and  those,  There 
is  a  Fountain  open  for  Sin  and  for  Uncleanness.  And  she  died 
in  a  Frame  extremely  to  the  Satisfaction  of  them  that  were 
Spectators  of  it. 

Our  God  is  a  great  Forgiver. 

Exempk  V. 

The  near  Affinity  between  Witchcraft  and  Possession  in- 
vites me  to  add  unto  the  Foregoing  Histories  One  that  the 
Reader,  I  believe,  will  count  worthy  to  be  Related.  It  is  but 
a  Fragment  of  what  should  have  been  a  fuller  Story;  but  I 
cannot  without  some  Trouble  or  delay  inconsistent  with  my 
present  Designs  put  my  self  in  a  way  to  perfect  it :  and  I  was 
of  the  Opinion  that,  Let  nothing  be  lost,  was  a  Rule  which  I 
might  very  properly  extend  unto  it.  The  thing  happened 
many  (perhaps  Thirty)  years  ago,  and  was  then  much  dis- 
coursed of.  I  don't  Remember,  that  I  have  heard  what  became 
of  the  Boy  concerned  in  the  Narrative,  but  what  I  now  pub- 

1  See  above,  p.  19,  note  2. 


1658?]       C.   MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  137 

lish,  I  find  among  the  Papers  of  my  Grand-father,1  of  Whom 
the  World  has  had  such  a  Character,  that  they  cannot  but 
judge,  no  Romance  or  Folly,  nothing  but  what  should  be 
serious  and  weighty  could  be  worthy  of  his  Hand ;  and  it  is  in 
his  own  Hand  that  I  have  the  Manuscript,  from  whence  I  have 
caused  it  to  be  Transcribed.  It  runs  in  such  Terms  as  these. 

A  Confession  of  a  Boy  at  Tocutt; 2  in  the  time  of  the  Intermission  of  his 
Fits:  and  other  Passages,  which  many  were  Eye-witnesses  of. 

The  Boy  was  for  his  natural  Parts  more  than  ordinary  at  seven 
years  old.  He  with  many  others  went  to  see  a  Conjurer  play  Tricks 
in  Holland.  There  it  was  strongly  suggested  to  him,  He  should  be 
as  good  an  Artist  as  he.  From  thence  to  eleven  year  old  he  used  the 
Trade  of  inventing  Lyes,  and  Stealing  mony,  Running  away  from 
his  Father,  spending  of  it  at  Dice,  and  with  the  vilest  Company; 
and  this  Trade  he  used  in  that  space  (he  confessed)  above  Forty 
times  at  least,  and  many  strange  Instances  he  gives  of  it.  His  Father 
following  him  with  constant  Instruction,  and  Correction,  he  was 
despertely  hardned  under  all,  and  his  heart  sett  in  a  way  of  Malice 
against  the  Word  of  God,  and  all  his  Father  did  to  restrain  him. 
When  he  was  about  ten  or  eleven  years  old,  he  ran  away  from  Rotter- 
dam, to  Delph;3  and  the  Devil  appeared  to  him  there  in  the  shape  of 
a  Boy,  counselling  him  not  to  hearken  to  the  Word  of  God,  nor  unto 
any  of  his  Father's  Instructions,  and  propounding  to  him,  to  Enter 
into  a  Covenant  with  him.  Being  somewhat  fearful  at  first,  desired 
that  he  would  not  appear  to  him  in  a  shape,  but  by  a  voice,  and 
though  his  heart  did  inwardly  consent,  to  what  the  Devil  said,  yet 
he  was  withheld  that  he  could  not  then  Enter  into  a  Covenant  with 
him.  His  Father  not  knowing  this,  but  of  his  other  Wickedness, 
being  a  godly  Minister,  procured  many  Christians  to  join  with  him 
in  a  day  of  Humiliation;  confessed  and  bewailed  his  Sins,  prayed 
for  him,  and  sent  him  to  New-E.4  and  so  committed  him  to  God. 
From  that  time  to  this,  being  now  about  Sixteen  years  old,  the 
Devil  hath  constantly  come  to  him  by  a  voice;  and  he  held  a  constant 
Discourse  with  him;  and  all  about  Entring  into  a  Covenant  with  him: 
and  still  perswaded  to  have  it  written  and  sealed,  making  many 
promises  to  allure  him,  and  telling  him  many  Stories  of  Dr.  Faustus, 

1  Whether  his  grandfather  Mather  or  his  grandfather  Cotton  does  not  ap- 
pear.    The  contents  suggest  a  suspicion  that  the  original  author  was  nearer  the 
boy  than  either — perhaps  the  Rev.  John  Davenport,  of  New  Haven. 

2  Later  Branford — just  east  of  New  Haven  and  within  its  government. 
8  Delft.  4  New  England. 


138        NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES      [1658? 

and  other  Witches,  how  bravely  they  have  lived,  and  how  he  should 
live  deliciously,  and  have  Ease,  Comfort,  and  Money;  and  some- 
times threatning  to  tear  him  in  pieces  if  he  would  not.  But  ordi- 
narily his  discourse  was  as  loving  and  friendly  as  could  be.  He  hath 
been  strangely  kept,  by  an  hand  of  God,  from  making  a  Covenant 
to  this  day.  For  he  still  propounded  many  Difficulties  to  the  Devil, 
which  he  could  not  satisfie  his  Reason  in :  and  though,  he  saith,  he 
was  never  well  but  when  he  was  Discoursing  with  the  devil,  and  his 
heart  was  strangely  enclined  to  write  and  seal  an  Agreement,  yet 
such  dreadfull  horrour  did  seiz  upon  him,  at  the  very  time,  from  the 
Word  of  God,  and  such  fears  of  his  Eternal  Perishing,  that  he  could 
not  do  it  then.  He  put  off  the  Devil  still,  that  he  was  not  in  a  fit 
Frame,  but  desired  him  to  come  again  that  he  might  have  more  Dis- 
course, and  he  would  consider  of  it.  The  Devil  appeared  to  him  a 
second  time  at  New-haven,  in  the  shape  of  a  Boy,  and  a  third  time 
at  Tocutt  in  the  shape  of  a  Fox;  at  which  time,  at  first,  they  had 
loving  discourse,  as  formerly;  but  at  last,  the  Devil  was  urgent  upon 
him,  and  told  him,  he  had  baffled  with  him  so  long,  now  he  must 
enter  into  an  agreement,  or  he  would  tear  him  in  pieces :  he  saying, 
"How  should  I  do  it?  would  you  have  me  write  upon  my  hands?" 
"No,"  (saith  the  Devil)  "Look  here,"  and  with  that,  set  Paper,  and 
Pen,  and  Ink  like  Blood  before  him.  The  former  horrours,  from  the 
Word  of  God,  and  special  passages,  which  he  named,  set  in  upon 
him  so  that  he  could  not  do  it.  Only  before  they  parted,  the  Devil 
being  so  urgent  upon  him,  telling  him  he  had  baffled  with  him,  he 
set  a  year  and  half  time  for  Consideration.  The  last  quarter  of  a 
year  is  yet  to  come.  The  Devil  told  him,  if  he  let  him  alone  so  long, 
he  would  baffle  with  him  still :  he  answered,  if  he  did  not  yeild  then, 
he  would  give  him  leave  to  torment  him  whilst  he  lived.  Still  the 
Devil  would  not  away,  nor  could  he  get  from  him.  Then  out  of 
Fear  he  cryed  out,  "Lord,  Jesus,  rebuke  the  devil!"  at  which  the 
Fox,  Pen,  Ink  and  Paper  vanished.  Yet  he  continued  in  his  course 
of  unheard-of  Wickedness,  and  still  his  Will  was  bent  to  write  and 
seal  the  Agreement,  having  his  Discourse  yet  with  Satan  by  Voice. 
His  Brother  with  whom  he  lives  at  Tocut,  having  Convulsion  Fits, 
he  laughed  and  mocked  at  him,  and  acted  the  Convulsion  Fits.  A 
while  after  God  sent  Convulsion  Fits  on  himself;  in  which  time,  his 
former  Terrours,  the  Wrath  of  God,  Death,  Hell,  Judgment,  and 
Eternity  were  presented  to  him.  He  would  fain  then  have  confessed 
his  sins,  but  when  he  was  about  to  do  it  the  Devil  still  held  his  mouth, 
that  he  could  not.  He  entreated  God,  to  release  him,  promising  to 
confess  and  forsake  his  Sins,  and  the  Lord  did  so;  but  he  being  well, 
grew  as  bad,  or  worse  than  ever.  About  six  weeks  since,  his  Convul- 
sion Fits  came  again,  three  times  most  dreadfully,  with  some  Inter- 


1658?]       C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  139 

missions,  and  his  former  Horrours  and  Fears.  He  would  have  con- 
fessed his  Sins  but  could  not.  It  pleased  God  to  put  it  into  the 
heart  of  one  to  ask  him,  Whether  he  had  any  Familiarity  with  the 
Devil?  he  got  out  so  much  then  as,  Yes.  He  fetching  Mr.  Pierson,1 
the  Convulsion  Fits  left  him,  and  he  confessed  all,  how  it  had  been 
with  him.  That  very  night  the  Devil  came  to  him,  and  told  him, 
Had  he  blabbed  out  such  things?  He  would  teach  him  to  blabb! 
and  if  he  would  not  then  write  and  seal  the  Agreement,  he  would 
tear  him  in  pieces,  and  he  refusing,  the  Devil  took  a  corporal  Pos- 
session of  him,  and  hath  not  ceased  to  torment  him  extremely  ever 
since.  If  any  thing  be  spoken  to  him,  the  Devil  answereth  (and 
many  times  he  barks  like  a  Fox,  and  hisseth  like  a  Serpent)  some- 
times with  horrible  Blasphemies  against  the  Name  of  Christ;  and  at 
some  other  times  the  Boy  is  sensible.  When  he  hath  the  Libertie  of 
his  Voice,  he  tells  what  the  Devil  saith  to  him,  urging  him  to  seal  the 
Covenant  still,  and  that  he  will  bring  Paper,  Pen  and  Ink  in  the 
night,  when  none  shall  see,  pleading,  that  God  hath  cast  him  off,  that 
Christ  cannot  save  him :  That  When  He  was  upon  earth  He  could 
cast  out  devils,  but  now  He  is  in  Heaven  He  cannot.  Sometimes  he 
is  ready  to  yeild  to  all  in  a  desperate  way.  Sometimes  he  breaks  out 
into  Confession  of  his  former  sins,  as  they  come  into  his  mind;  ex- 
ceedingly judging  himself  and  justifying  God  in  His  for  ever  leaving 
of  him  in  the  hands  of  Satan.  Once  he  was  heard  to  Pray  in  such  a 
manner  so  sutable  to  his  Condition,  so  Aggravating  his  Sin,  and 
pleading  with  God  for  mercy,  and  in  such  a  strange,  high  enlarged 
manner,  as  judicious  godly  persons  then  present,  affirm  they  never 
heard  the  like  in  their  lives,  that  it  drew  abundance  of  tears  from  the 
eyes  of  all  present,  being  about  twenty  persons.  But  his  torment 
increased  upon  him  worse  after  such  a  time;  or  if  any  thing  were 
spoken  to  him  from  the  Word  of  God  by  others,  or  they  pray  with 
him.  The  last  week  after  he  had  confessed  one  strange  Passage, 
namely  that  once  in  Discourse  he  told  the  Devil,  that  if  he  would 
make  his  Spittle  to  scald  a  dog,  he  would  then  go  on  in  a  way  of 
Lying  and  Dissembling,  and  believe  that  he  should  do  it,  which  he 
said,  he  did  with  all  his  heart,  and  so  spit  on  the  dog,  and  with  that 
a  deal  of  Scalding  Water  did  poure  on  the  Dog.  In  pursuance  of  his 
Promise,  he  went  on  in  a  way  of  Lying  and  Dissembling :  That  when 
he  was  urged  about  it,  that  he  had  done  some  mischief  to  the  dog, 
then  he  fell  down  into  a  Swound,  as  if  he  had  been  dead.  As  soon  as 
he  had  confessed  this,  the  Devil  went  out  of  him  with  an  astonishing 
Noise,  to  the  terrour  of  those  then  present:  and  so  he  continued 

1  The  Rev.  Abraham  Pierson  (d.  1678),  who  was  minister  at  Branford  from 
1644  to  1667. 


140         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES     [1658? 

one  day.  'The  next  day  being  much  troubled  in  himself  for  one 
special  passage  in  his  Discourse  with  the  Devil,  when  he  appeared  to 
him  as  a  Fox;  saith  he  to  the  Devil,  "  I  have  formerly  sought  to  God, 
and  He  hath  been  near  unto  me":  With  that  the  Devil  enraged, 
said  unto  him  then,  "  What,  are  you  got  hither?  "  and  fell  to  threat- 
ning  of  him.  He  said  to  him  again,  "But  I  find  no  such  Thoughts 
now,  but  do  and  will  believe  you  now  more  than  the  Word  of  God 
which  saith  in  Isa.  55,  Seek  the  Lord,"  etc.,  and  said  further,  "  What 
comfort  you  shall  afford  me,  I  shall  rely  upon  you  for  it."  Remem- 
bring  this  Passage  the  Devil  appeared  to  him,  ready  to  enter  into 
him  again.  Thereby  much  astonished,  having  the  Bible  in  his  hand, 
he  opened  it,  and,  as  it  were  of  it  self,  at  that  place  of  Isai.  55 :  his 
Eye  was  fixed  upon  it,  and  his  Conscience  accusing  him  for  abusing 
the  Word  a  year  ago,  his  heart  failing  him,  and  the  Devil  entred  into 
him  again  a  Second  tune,  railing  upon  him,  and  calling  him,  Blab- 
tongue,  and  Rogue!  he  had  promis'd  to  keep  things  secret,  he  would 
teach  him  to  blabb,  he  would  tear  him  in  pieces.  Since,  he  hath 
kept  his  Body  in  continual  Motion,  speaking  in  him,  and  by  him, 
with  a  formidable  Voice:  sometimes  singing  of  Verses  wicked  and 
witty,  that  formerly  he  had  made  against  his  Father's  Ministry,  and 
the  Word  of  God,  etc.  When  the  Boy  is  come  to  himself,  they  tell 
him  of  them,  and  he  owns  them,  that  indeed  such  he  did  make.  Mr. 
Eaton1  being  his  Uncle,  sent  a  Letter  to  him,  which  he  told  of  before 
it  came,  saying  also,  it  would  be  goodly  stuff!  Jeering  at  him.  By 
and  by  the  Letter  came  in,  and  none  of  the  people  knew  of  it  before. 
He  speaks  of  men  coming  to  him  before  they  come  in  Sight:  and 
once,  two  being  with  him,  their  Backs  turned,  the  Devil  carried  him 
away,  they  knew  not  how,  and  after  search  they  found  him  in  a  Cellar, 
as  dead,  but  after  a  little  space  he  came  to  Life  again.  And  another 
time,  threw  him  up  into  a  Chamber,  stopped  him  up  into  a  Hole, 
where  they  after  found  him.  Another  time  he  carried  him  about  a 
Bow-Shot  and  threw  him  into  a  Hog-Stye  amongst  Swine,  which  ran 
away  with  a  terrible  noise. 

Here  is  as  much  to  be  seen  of  the  Venome  of  Sin,  the  Wrath  of 
God  against  Sin,  the  Malice  of  the  Devil,  and  yet  his  limited  Power, 
and  the  Reasonings  of  Satan  in  an  ocular  Demonstration,  as  hath 
fallen  out  in  any  Age.  Also  the  strange  and  High  Expressions  of  a 
distressed  Soul,  in  a  way  of  Judging  himself  and  pleading  for  Mercy, 
such  as  may  be  wondered  at  by  all  that  hear  of  it;  and  more  very 
observable  passages  could  not  be  written  for  want  of  Time,  which 
will  after  appear. 

1  Doubtless  Theophilus  Eaton,  who  was  governor  of  the  New  Haven  colony 
from  1639  till  his  death,  in  1658. 


1688?]       C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  141 


Advertisement. 

Of  what  did  after  appear,  I  have  no  Account;  but  what 
did  then  appear,  is  so  undoubted  and  so  wonderful,  that  it 
will  sufficiently  atone  for  my  Publication  of  it. 

Exemple  VI.  and  VII. 

Had  there  been  Diligence  enough  used  by  them  that  have 
heard  and  seen  amazing  Instances  of  Witchcraft,  our  Number 
of  Memorable  Providences  under  this  Head,  had  reached  be- 
yond the  Perfect.  However,  before  I  have  done  Writing,  I 
will  insert  an  Exemple  or  two,  communicated  unto  me  by  a 
Gentleman  of  sufficient  Fidelity  to  make  a  Story  of  his  Relat- 
ing Credible.  The  Things  were  such  as  happened  hi  the  Town 
whereof  himself  is  Minister;  and  they  are  but  some  of  more 
which  he  favoured  me  with  the  Communication  of.  But,  it 
seems,  I  must  be  obliged  to  conceal  the  Names  of  the  parties 
concerned,  lest  some  should  be  Offended,  tho  None  could  be 
Injured  by  the  mention  of  them.1 

In  a  Town  which  is  none  of  the  youngest  in  this  Countrey, 
there  dwelt  a  very  Godly  and  honest  Man,  who  upon  some 
Provocation,  received  very  Angry  and  Threatning  Expressions, 
from  two  women  in  the  Neighbourhood;  soon  upon  this, 
diverse  of  his  Cattel  in  a  strange  manner  dyed;  and  the  man 
himself  sometimes  was  haunted  with  sights  of  the  women,  as 
he  thought,  encountring  of  him.  He  grew  indisposed  in  his 
Body  very  unaccountably;  and  one  day  repaired  unto  a  Church 
Meeting  then  held  in  the  place,  with  a  Resolution  there  to 
declare  what  he  had  met  withal.  The  man  was  one  of  such 
Figure  and  Respect  among  them,  that  the  Pastor  singled  out 
him  for  to  pray  in  the  Assembly  before  their  breaking  up.  He 
pray'd  with  a  more  than  usual  measure  of  both  Devotion  and 

1  Who  his  informant  was  can  only  be  guessed;  but  the  description  of  the 
town  as  "none  of  the  youngest  in  this  Countrey"  makes  it  impossible  not  to  think 
of  Salem,  which  was  the  oldest  in  the  colony,  and  of  the  Rev.  Nicholas  Noyes, 
whose  close  acquaintance  with  Mather  and  whose  sharing  of  his  views  on  this 
subject  are  well  known. 


142         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES      [1688? 

Discretion,  but  just  as  he  was  coming  to  that  part  of  his 
Prayer,  wherein  he  intended  to  petition  Heaven  for  the  Dis- 
covery of  Witchcrafts  which  had  been  among  them,  he  sank 
down  Speechless  and  Senseless;  and  was  by  his  Friends  car- 
ried away  to  a  Bed;  where  he  lay  for  two  or  three  hours  in 
horrible  Distress,  fearfully  starting,  and  staring  and  crying  out 
"Lord,  I  am  stab'd!"  and  now  looking  whistly  to  and  fro,  he 
said,  "0  here  are  wicked  persons  among  us,  even  among  us; " 
and  he  complained,  "  I  came  hither  with  a  full  purpose  to  tell 
what  I  knew,  but  now"  (said  he)  "I  ly  like  a  Fool!"  Thus 
he  continued  until  the  Meeting  was  over,  and  then  his  Fits 
left  him;  only  he  remained  very  sore.  One  or  two  more  such 
Fits  he  had  after  that;  but  afterwards  a  more  private  sort  of 
Torture  was  employ'd  upon  him.  He  was  advised  by  a  worthy 
man  to  apply  himself  unto  a  Magistrate;  and  warned,  That  he 
would  shortly  be  murdered,  if  he  did  not.  He  took  not  the 
Counsil;  but  languished  for  some  Weeks;  yet  able  to  Walk 
and  Work;  but  Then,  he  had  his  Breath  and  Life  suddenly 
taken  away  from  him,  in  a  manner  of  which  no  full  Account 
could  be  given. 

The  man  had  a  Son  invaded  with  the  like  Fits,  but  God 
gave  deliverance  to  him  in  answer  to  the  Prayers  of  His  people 
for  him. 

In  the  same  Town,  there  yet  lives  a  very  pious  Woman, 
that  from  another  Woman  of  ill  Fame,  received  a  small  gift, 
which  was  eaten  by  her.  Upon  the  Eating  of  it,  she  became 
strangely  altered  and  afflicted;  and  hindred  from  Sleeping  at 
Night,  by  the  Pulls  of  some  invisible  Hand  for  a  long  while 
together.  A  Shape  or  two  of,  I  know  not  who,  likewise 
haunted  her,  and  gave  her  no  little  Trouble.  At  last,  a  Fit 
extraordinary  Violent  came  upon  her;  wherein  she  pointed  her 
Hand,  and  fixed  her  Eye,  much  upon  the  Chimney,  and  spake 
at  a  rate  that  astonished  all  about  her.  Anon,  she  broke  forth 
into  Prayer,  and  yet  could  bring  out  scarce  more  than  a 
Syllable  at  a  time.  In  her  short  Prayer  she  grew  up  to  an 
high  Act  of  Faith,  and  said,  (by  Syllables,  and  with  Stammer- 
ings) "Lord,  Thou  hast  been  my  Hope,  and  in  Thee  will  I 
put  my  Trust;  Thou  hast  been  my  Salvation  here,  and  wilt 
be  so  for  ever  and  ever!"  Upon  which  her  Fit  left  her;  and 
she  afterwards  grew  very  well;  still  remaining  so. 


1688?]       C.  MATHER,  MEMORABLE  PROVIDENCES  143 

There  were  diverse  other  strange  Things,  which  from  the 
same  Hand,  I  can  both  Relate  and  Believe,  As,  Of  a  Child  be- 
witched into  Lameness,  and  recovered  immediately,  by  a  Ter- 
rour  given  to  the  vile  Authoress  of  the  Mischief;  but  the  exact 
Print,  Image  and  Colour  of  an  Orange  made  on  the  Childs 
Leg,  presently  upon  the  sending  of  an  Orange  to  the  Witch 
by  the  Mother  of  the  Child,  who  yet  had  no  evil  design 
in  making  of  the  Present.  And  of  other  Children,  which  a 
palpable  Witchcraft  made  its  Impressions  on;  but  Manum  de 
Tabula.1 

I  entreat  every  Reader,  to  make  such  an  Use  of  these  things, 
as  may  promote  his  own  well-fare  and  advance  the  Glory  of 
God;  and  so  answer  the  Intent  of  the  Writer,  who, 
HCBC  scribens  studuit,  bene  de  Pietate  mereri.2 

1  "Hands  off  the  slate!" — i.  e.,  stop  writing. 

1  "In  writing  these  things  strove  to  deserve  well  of  Piety."  There  follow, 
in  the  volume,  the  two  sermons  mentioned  by  the  title-page,  that  occasioned  by 
the  affair  of  the  Goodwin  children  coming  last.  It  adds  no  information  as  to 
the  episode,  but  calls  itself  "A  Discourse  on  Witchcraft,"  and  deals  with  the 
reality  and  nature  of  that  sin.  But  at  the  end  of  it  is  this  interesting  "Notan- 
dum": 

"Since  the  Finishing  of  the  History  which  concerns  Goodwin's  Children, 
there  has  been  a  very  wonderful  Attempt  made  (probably  by  Witchcraft)  on 
another  Family  in  the  Town.  There  is  a  poor  Boy  at  this  time  under  very  ter- 
rible and  amazing  Circumstances  which  are  a  Repetition  of,  with  not  much 
Variation  from  those  of  the  Children  formerly  molested.  The  person  under 
vehement  Suspicion  to  be  the  Authoress  [of]  this  Boy's  Calamities  is  one  that 
was  complain'd  of  by  those  Children  in  their  Ails,  and  accordingly  one  or  two  of 
those  Children  has  at  this  time  some  Renewal  of  their  Afflictions  also;  which 
perhaps  may  be  permitted  by  the  Great  God,  not  to  disappoint  our  Expectations 
of  their  Deliverance,  but  for  the  Detection  and  the  Destruction  of  more  belong- 
ing to  that  hellish  Knot,  that  has  not  yet  perished  as  others  of  the  Crue  has  done, 
before  the  poor  prayers  of  them  that  Hope  in  God. 

"The  Book-sellers  not  being  willing  to  stay  the  Event  of  these  New  Acci- 
dents, cause  the  Bridles  here  to  be  taken  off." 


A  BRIEF  AND  TRUE  NARRATIVE,  BY  DEODAT 
LAWSON,  1692 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  earliest  account  of  the  remarkable  happenings  at 
Salem,  in  the  spring  of  1692,  which  were  to  bring  to  a  climax 
and  then  to  a  conclusion  the  quest  of  witches  in  New  England, 
was  that  which  here  follows.  The  Rev.  Deodat  Lawson  was 
singularly  qualified  to  write  it.  He  had  himself,  only  a  little 
earlier  (1684-1688),  served  as  pastor  to  Salem  Village,  the 
rural  community  in  which  these  happenings  took  their  rise; 
and,  though  dissensions  in  the  parish  prevented  his  longer 
stay,  he  seems  to  have  been  no  party  to  these  dissensions 
and  must  meanwhile  have  learned  to  know  the  scene  and  all 
the  actors  of  that  later  drama  which  he  here  depicts.  He  was, 
too,  a  man  of  education,  travel,  social  experience.  Born  in 
England,  the  son  of  a  scholarly  Puritan  minister,  and  doubt- 
less educated  there,  he  first  appears  in  New  England  in  1676, 
and  at  the  time  of  his  call  to  Salem  Village  was  making  his 
home  in  Boston.  Thither  he  returned  in  1688 :  Samuel  Sewall, 
who  on  May  13  had  him  in  at  Sunday  dinner,  notes  in  his 
diary  that  he  "came  to  Town  to  dwell  last  week,"  and  often 
mentions  him  thereafter.  How  at  the  outbreak  of  the  witch- 
panic  he  came  to  revisit  the  Village  and  to  chronicle  the  doings 
there,  he  himself  a  dozen  years  later  thus  told  his  English 
friends  i1 

It  pleased  God  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  1692  to  visit  the  People 
at  a  place  called  Salem  Village  in  New-England,  with  a  very  Sore 
and  Grievous  Affliction,  in  which  they  had  reason  to  believe,  that  the 
Soveraign  and  Holy  God  was  pleased  to  permit  Satan  and  his  Instru- 
ments, to  Affright  and  Afflict  those  poor  Mortals  in  such  an  Aston- 
ishing and  Unusual  manner. 

1  In  the  London  edition  of  his  Salem  sermon.    See  below,  p.  158,  note  3. 

147 


148         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

[Now,  I  having  for  some  time  before  attended  the  work  of  the 
Ministry  in  that  Village,  the  Report  of  those  Great  Afflictions  came 
quickly  to  my  notice;  and  the  more  readily  because  the  first  Person 
Afflicted  was  in  the  Minister's  Family,  who  succeeded  me,  after  I 
was  removed  from  them;  in  pitty  therefore  to  my  Christian  Friends, 
and  former  Acquaintance  there,  I  was  much  concerned  about  them, 
frequently  consulted  with  them,  and  fervently  (by  Divine  Assistance) 
prayed  for  thern^  but  especially  my  Concern  was  augmented,  when 
it  was  Reported,  at  an  Examination  of  a  Person  suspected  for  Witch- 
craft, that  my  Wife  and  Daughter,  who  Dyed  Three  Years  before, 
were  sent  out  of  the  World  under  the  Malicious  Operations  of  the 
Infernal  Powers;  as  is  more  fully  represented  in  the  following  Re- 
marks. I  did  then  Desire,  and  was  also  Desired,  by  some  concerned 
in  the  Court,  to  be  there  present,  that  I  might  hear  what  was  alledged 
in  that  respect;  observing  therefore,  when  I  was  amongst  them,  that 
the  Case  of  the  Afflicted  was  very  amazing,  and  deplorable;  and  the 
Charges  brought  against  the  Accused,  such  as  were  Ground  of  Sus- 
picions yet  very  intricate,  and  difficult  to  draw  up  right  Conclusions 
about  them;  I  thought  good  for  the  satisfaction  of  my  self,  and  such 
of  my  Friends  as  might  be  curious  to  inquiry  into  those  Mysteries  of 
Gods  Providence  and  Satans  Malice,  to  draw  up  and  keep  by  me,  a 
Brief  Account  of  the  most  Remarkable  things,  that  came  to  my 
Knowledge  in  those  Affairs;  which  Remarks  were  afterwards,  (at 
my  Request)  Revised  and  Corrected  by  some  who  Sate  Judges  on 
the  Bench,  in  those  Matters;  and  were  now  Transcribed,  from  the 
same  Paper,  on  which  they  were  then  Written. 

A  narrative  so  timely  and  so  vouched  for  must  have  gone 
speedily  into  print.1  The  latest  day  named  in  it — "the  5th 
of  April" —  was  probably  the  date  both  of  its  completion  and 
of  its  going  to  press.  In  1693  it  was  reprinted  in  London  by 
John  Dunton,  who  appended  to  it  an  anonymous  "Further 
Account  of  the  Tryals  of  the  New-England  Witches"  (an  ex- 
tract from  "a  letter  from  thence  to  a  Gentleman  in  London") 
bringing  the  story  to  February,  1693,  and  to  both  joined  In- 

1  One  of  the  acutest  students  of  New  England  witchcraft,  Mr.  George  H. 
Moore  (in  his  "Notes  on  the  Bibliography  of  Witchcraft  in  Massachusetts"  in 
the  Proceedings  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society,  n.  s.,  V.  248),  has  said  of 
it:  "I  cannot  resist  the  impression  upon  reading  it,  that  it  was  promoted  by 
Cotton  Mather  and  that  he  wrote  the  'Bookseller's'  notice  'to  the  Reader.'  " 
If  so,  he  may  well  have  inspired  to  the  task  both  author  and  publisher. 


INTRODUCTION  149 

crease  Mather's  Cases  of  Conscience  (see  pp.  377, 378, below), pre- 
fixing to  the  volume  thus  made  up  the  title :  A  Further  Account 
of  the  Tryals  of  the  New-England  Witches.  With  the  Observations 
of  a  Person  who  was  upon  the  Place  several  Days  when  the  sus- 
pected Witches  were  first  taken  into  Examination.  To  which  is 
added,  Cases  of  Conscience,  etc.1  In  1704  Lawson,  himself 
now  in  England,  cast  it  into  a  new  form  as  an  appendix  to  the 
English  edition  of  his  Salem  sermon.2  Ah1  names  are  now  left 
out,  that  he  "may  not  grieve  any,  whose  Relations  were  either 
Accused  or  Afflicted,  in  those  times  of  Trouble  and  Distress," 
and  what  had  been  a  narrative  is  given  a  statistical  form  under 
"three  Heads,  viz.  (1.)  Relating  to  the  Afflicted,  (2.)  Relating 
to  the  Accused,  And  (3.)  Relating  to  the  Confessing  Witches." 3 
On  his  own  views,  and  the  probable  trend  of  his  influence 
while  at  Salem,  light  is  thrown  by  his  introductory  words : 

After  this,4  I  being  by  the  Providence  of  God  called  over  into 
England,  in  the  Year  1696;  I  then  brought  that  Paper  of  Remarks 
on  the  Witchcraft  with  me;  upon  the  sight  thereof,  some  Worthy 
Ministers  and  Christian  Friends  here  desired  me  to  Reprint  the  Ser- 
mon and  subjoyn  the  Remarks  thereunto,  in  way  of  Appendix,  but 
for  some  particular  Reasons  I  did  then  Decline  it;  But  now,  forasmuch 
as  I  my  self  had  been  an  Eye  and  Ear  Witness  of  most  of  those  Amaz- 
ing things,  so  far  as  they  come  within  the  Notice  of  Humane  Senses; 
and  the  Requests  of  my  Friends  were  Renewed  since  I  came  to 
Dwell  in  London;  I  have  given  way  to  the  Publishing  of  them;  that 
I  may  satisfy  such  as  are  not  resolved  to  the  Contrary,  that  there 
may  be  (and  are)  such  Operations  of  the  Powers  of  Darkness  on  the 

1  The  contents  of  this  volume  were  reprinted  at  London,  in  1862,  by  John 
Russell  Smith,  in  the  volume  of  his  Library  of  Old  Authors  which  contains  also 
Cotton  Mather's  The  Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World.     In  this  reprint  they  fill 
pp.  199-291,  being  described  in  its  main  title  by  only  the  misleading  words,  "A 
Farther  Account  of  the  Tryals  of  the  New-England  Witches,   by  Increase 
Mather." 

2  See  below,  p.  158,  note  3. 

3  This  revised  form  of  his  Account  has  been  reprinted  in  full  at  the  end  of 
C.  W.  Upham's  Salem  Witchcraft  (Boston,  1867),  and,  with  but  slight  omissions, 
in  the  Library  of  American  Literature  edited  by  Stedman  and  Hutchinson  (New 
York,  1891),  II.  106-114. 

4  This  passage  immediately  follows  that  above  quoted. 


150         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

Bodies  and  Minds  of  Mankind,  by  Divine  Permission;  and  that 
those  who  Sate  Judges  in  those  Cases,  may  by  the  serious  Considera- 
tion of  the  formidable  Aspect  and  perplexed  Circumstances  of  that 
Afflictive  Providence  be  in  some  measure  excused;  or  at  least  be 
less  Censured,  for  passing  Sentance  on  several  Persons,  as  being  the 
Instruments  of  Satan  in  those  Diabolical  Operations,  when  they  were 
involved  in  such  a  Dark  and  Dismal  Scene  of  Providence,  in  which 
Satan  did  seem  to  Spin  a  finer  Thred  of  Spiritual  Wickedness  than  in 
the  ordinary  methods  of  Witchcraft;  hence  the  Judges  desiring  to 
bear  due  Testimony  against  such  Diabolical  Practices,  were  inclined 
to  admit  the  validity  of  such  a  sort  of  Evidence  as  was  not  so  clearly 
and  directly  demonstrable  to  Human  Senses,  as  in  other  Cases  is 
required,  or  else  they  could  not  discover  the  Mysteries  of  Witch- 
craft. .  .  . 

One  can  not  read  these  words  without  a  suspicion  that  the 
reaction  in  New  England  against  those  held  responsible  for 
the  procedure  at  Salem  may  have  had  to  do  with  his  return  to 
England;  and  even  in  England,  it  is  clear,  his  cause  now 
needed  defense.  If  any  can  wish  him  further  ill,  let  them  be 
appeased  by  our  two  glimpses  of  his  after  fate — a  despairing 
letter  in  1714,1  begging  from  his  New  England  friends  meat, 
drink,  and  clothing  for  his  sick  and  starving  family,  and  the 
passing  phrase  of  a  writer  who  in  1727,  mentioning  Thomas 
Lawson,  adds  that  "he  was  the  father  of  the  unhappy  Mr. 
Deodate  Lawson,  who  came  hither  from  New  England."2 

But  the  reader  should  not  enter  on  the  study  of  the  witch- 
panic  of  1692  without  knowing  something  of  our  other  sources 
of  knowledge.  The  contemporary  narratives  are  practically 
all  printed  in  the  pages  that  follow,  and  a  part  of  the  trial 
records  will  be  found  embodied  in  Cotton  Mather's  Wonders  ;3 
but  most  of  these  must  be  sought  otherwhere,  and,  alas,  they 
are  sadly  scattered.  Some  Governor  Hutchinson  preserved  in 

1  Published  (from  the  Bodleian  Library's  Rawlinson  MS.  C.  128,  fol.  12)  by 
George  H.  Moore,  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society,  n.  s., 
V.  268-269. 

1  Edmund  Calamy,  in  his  Contimtation,  II.  629  (II.  192  of  Palmer's  revision 
of  1775,  The  Nonconformist's  Memorial'). 

» At  pp.  215-244,  below. 


INTRODUCTION  151 

his  wise  and  careful  pages  on  this  subject,1  where  alone  a  part 
can  now  be  found.  Many  have  drifted  into  private  hands — 
like  those  which  in  1860  came  into  the  hands  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Historical  Society  and  are  in  part  printed  in  its  Pro- 
ceedings (1860-1862,  pp.  31-37),  or  those  published  by  Drake 
in  the  foot-notes  and  appendices  to  his  various  histories  and 
editions,2  or  those  now  in  the  keeping  of  the  Essex  Institute  at 
Salem  or  of  the  Boston  Public  Library.3  Such  of  these  as  are 
in  print  are  mentioned  in  the  notes  at  the  proper  points.  But 
most  are  still  in  public  keeping  at  Salem;  and  these  in  1864 
were  printed  by  W.  Elliot  Woodward  in  the  two  volumes  of 
his  Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft,  the  work  most  fundamental 
for  the  first-hand  study  of  this  episode.  It  is;  however,  im- 
perfect and  far  from  complete,  and  there  is  hope  of  a  better : 
the  Records  and  Files  of  the  Quarterly  Courts  of  Essex  County, 
of  which  a  third  volume  has  just  appeared,  must  in  due 
course  include  these  witch-trials,  and  Mr.  George  Francis 
Dow,  their  editor  (who  has  already  by  his  publication  of  the 
witchcraft  records  relating  to  Topsfield 4  shown  his  keenness 
in  such  work),  has  in  mind  the  seizing  of  this  opportunity 
to  print  all  obtainable  papers  relating  to  the  Salem  Witchcraft 
episode.  Precious  documents  too  are  published  by  Upham  in 
his  classical  Salem  Witchcraft5  and  in  the  acute  and  learned 
studies  of  Mr.  Abner  C.  Goodell  and  Mr.  George  H.  Moore.6 

1  History  of  Massachusetts,  II.,  ch.  I. 

2  In  his  History  and  Antiquities  of  Boston  (Boston,  1856),  pp.  497,  498,  and 
in  his  The  Witchcraft  Delusion  in  New  England,  III.  126,  169-197.     All  these 
(the  indictment  and  the  testimony  against  Philip  English,  the  examination  of 
Mary  Clark  and  of  the  slave  Tituba)  are  now  in  the  New  York  Public  Library, 
as  are  also  his  documents  of  the  Morse  case,  mentioned  above,  p.  31,  note  1. 

3  As  to  the  fate  of  the  records  in  general  see  Upham,  Salem  Witchcraft,  II.  462. 

4  In  vol.  XIII.  of  the  Historical  Collections  of  the  Topsfield  Historical  Society 
(1908). 

•  Boston,  1867,  two  vols.  6  See  p.  91,  note  2;  p.  373,  note  3. 


A  BRIEF  AND  TRUE  NARRATIVE 

A  Brief  and  True  Narrative  Of  some  Remarkable  Passages  Relat- 
ing to  sundry  Persons  Afflicted  by  Witchcraft,  at  Salem 
Village  Which  happened  from  the  Nineteenth  of  March,  to 
the  Fifth  of  April,  1692. 

Collected  by  Deodat  Lawson. 

Boston,  Printed  for  Benjamin  Harris  and  are  to  be  Sold  at  his 
Shop,  over-against  the  Old-Meeting-House.  1692.1 

The  Bookseller  to  the  Reader. 

The  Ensuing  Narrative,  being  a  Collection  of  some  Re- 
markables,  in  an  Affair  now  upon  the  Stage,  made  by  a  Credi- 
ble Eye-witness,  is  now  offered  unto  the  Reader,  only  as  a 
Tast,  of  more  that  may  follow  in  Gods  Time.  If  the  Prayers 
of  Good  People  may  obtain  this  Favour  of  God,  That  the 
Misterious  Assaults  from  Hell  now  made  upon  so  many  of  our 
Friends  may  be  thoroughly  Detected  and  Defeated,  we  sup- 
pose the  Curious  will  be  Entertained  with  as  rare  an  History 
as  perhaps  an  Age  has  had;  whereof  this  Narrative  is  but  a 
Forerunner. 

BENJAMIN  HARRIS. 

ON  the  Nineteenth  day  of  March  last2  I  went  to  Salem 
Village,8  and  lodged  at  Nathaniel  Ingersols  near  to  the  Min- 

1  Title-page  of  the  original. 

1 1692.  This  narrative  may  well  be  studied  in  close  connection  with  the 
parallel  narratives  of  Calef  and  Hale,  printed  at  pp.  296  ff.  and  399  ff .  of  this 
volume. 

*  Not  Salem  town,  the  present  Salem  city,  but  a  rural  district  (what  is  now 
the  township  of  Danvers,  with  parts  of  the  townships  adjoining  it)  which  till 
1672  had  been  a  mere  dependence  of  the  town,  but  in  that  year,  at  the  request  of 
its  inhabitants,  was  set  off  as  a  separate  parish,  though  not  as  a  distinct  town. 
Despite  the  name  of  "village,"  there  was  in  Salem  Village  no  huddle  of  houses 
amounting  to  a  hamlet,  though  about  the  meeting-house  (where  now  is  Danvers 

152 


1692]         LAWSON,  BRIEF  AND  TRUE  NARRATIVE  153 

ister  Mr.  P's.  house,1  and  presently  after  I  came  into  my 
Lodging  Capt.  Walcuts  Daughter  Mary2  came  to  Lieut.  Inger- 
sols  and  spake  to  me,  but,  suddenly  after  as  she  stood  by  the 
door,  was  bitten,  so  that  she  cried  out  of  her  Wrist,  and  look- 
ing on  it  with  a  Candle,  we  saw  apparently  the  marks  of  Teeth 
both  upper  and  lower  set,  on  each  side  of  her  wrist. 
"4  In  the  beginning  of  the  Evening,  I  went  to  give  Mr.  P.3  a 
visit.  When  I  was  there,  his  Kins-woman,  Abigail  William^/ 
(about  12  years  of  age,)  had  a  grievous  fit;  she  was  at  first 
hurryed  with  Violence  to  and  fro  in  the  room,  (though  Mrs. 
Ingersol  endeavoured  to  hold  her,)  sometimes  makeing  as  if 
she  would  fly,  stretching  up  her  arms  as  high  as  she  could, 
and  crying  "  Whish,  Whish,  Whish  Pljseveral  times]]  Presently 
after  she  said  there  was  Goodw.  N.4  and  said,  "Do  you  not 
see  her?  Why  there  she  stands!"  And  the  said  Goodw.  N. 
offered  her  The  Book,  but  she  was  resolved  she  would  not 

Highlands)  the  farm-houses  clustered  more  thickly  than  elsewhere.  Prefixed 
to  the  Rev.  Charles  W.  Upham's  Salem  Witchcraft  is  a  map,  which,  on  the  basis 
of  long  and  loving  research,  attempts  to  locate  every  house  in  all  the  region; 
and  the  text  of  that  work  will  also  be  of  constant  use,  as  will  the  little  volume  of 
W.  S.  Nevins,  Witchcraft  in  Salem  Village  (1892),  with  its  views  of  sites  and  build- 
ings (as  "Stories  of  Salem  Witchcraft"  it  had  been  printed  in  the  New  England 
Magazine,  IV.,  V.)  and  the  illustrated  edition  of  John  Fiske's  New  France  and 
New  England  (1904). 

1  Nathaniel  Ingersoll,  deacon  in  the  village  church  and  perhaps  its  most 
devoted  member,  kept  the  tavern,  or  "ordinary,"  which  was  the  recognized 
centre  of  the  "Village."     The  meeting-house  adjoined  it  to  the  east,  to  the  west 
the  parsonage,  where  lived  Mr.  Parris. 

2  Captain  Jonathan  Walcot,  commander  of  the  village  militia,  dwelt  next 
beyond  the  parsonage.     His  daughter  Mary  was  now  seventeen. 

3  The  Rev.  Samuel  Parris  (1653-1720),  whose  part,  and  whose  family's,  in 
the  Salem  panic  was  to  be  so  great,  had  been  at  Salem  Village  since  1688,  succeed- 
ing Deodat  Lawson  as  its  spiritual  head.     Till  then,  though  educated  at  Harvard, 
which  is  to  say  for  the  ministry,  he  had  been  engaged  in  the  West  Indian  trade, 
and  had  lived  for  a  time  in  Barbadoes,  whence  he  had  brought  back  with  him 
the  two  slaves,  John  and  Tituba,  perhaps  half  negro,  hah*  native,  with  whom  we 
must  soon  have  to  do.     Abigail  Williams,  his  niece,  was  a  member  of  his  house- 
hold;   and  we  shall  meet  also  his  little  daughter  Elizabeth,  aged  nine.     The 
account  of  his  life  by  S.  P.  Fowler  (Essex  Institute,  Proceedings,  II.  49-68)  has 
been  separately  printed  (Salem,  1857)  and  is  appended  to  Drake's  ed.  of  Mather 
and  Calef  (III.  198-222).     But  the  student  needs  also  Upham,  Salem  Witchcraft, 
and  the  documents  reprinted  by  Calef,  More  Wonders,  pp.  55-64. 

4  Rebecca  Nurse,  a  matron  of  71,  wife  of  Francis  Nurse,  an  energetic  and 
prosperous  farmer. 


154         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

take  it,  saying  Often,  "I  wont,  I  wont,  I  wont,  take  it,  I  do 
not  know  what  Book  it  is :  I  am  sure  it  is  none  of  Gods  Book, 
it  is  the  Divels  Book,  for  ought  I  know."  After  that,  she  run 
to  the  Fire,  and  begun  to  throw  Fire  Brands,  about  the  house; 
and  run  against  the  Back,  as  if  she  would  run  up  Chimney, 
and,  as  they  said,  she  had  attempted  to  go  into  the  Fire  in 
other  Fits. 

(On  Lords  Day,  the  Twentieth  of  March,  there  were  sun- 
dry of  the  afflicted  Persons  at  Meeting,  as,  Mrs.  Pope,  and 
Goodwife  Bibber,  Abigail  Williams,  Mary  Walcut,  Mary  Lewes, 
and  Docter  Griggs'  Maid.1  There  was  also  at  Meeting,  Good- 
wife  C.2  (who  was  afterward  Examined  on  suspicion  of  being 
a  Witch :)  They  had  several  Sore  Fits,  in  the  time  of  Publick 
Worship,  which  did  something  interrupt  me  in  my  First  Prayer; 
being  so  unusual.  After  Psalm  was  Sung,  Abigail  Williams 
said  to  me,  "  Now  stand  up,  and  Name  your  Text " :  And  after 
it  was  read,  she  said,  "It  is  a  long  Text."  In  the  beginning 
of  Sermon,  Mrs.  Pope,  a  Woman  afflicted,  said  to  me,  "Now 
there  is  enough  of  that."  And  in  the  afternoon,  Abigail 
Williams  upon  my  referring  to  my  Doctrine  said  to  me,  "I 
know  no  Doctrine  you  had,  If  you  did  name  one,  I  have  for- 
got it? 

-tin  Sermon  time  when  Goodw.  C  was  present  in  the  Meet- 
inghouse Ab.  W.  called  out,  V  Look  where  Goodw.  C  sits  on  the 
Beam  suckling  her  Yellow  bird  betwixt  her  fingers"!)  Anne 
Putnam  another  Girle  afflicted  said  there  was  a  Yellow-bird 
sat  on  my  hat  as  it  hung  on  the  Pin  in  the  Pulpit:  but  those 
that  were  by,  restrained  her  from  speaking  loud  about  ItJ 

On  Monday  the  21st  of  March,  The  Magistrates  of  Salem 
appointed  to  come  to  Examination  of  Goodw  C.3  And  about 

1  Mrs.  Pope  was  a  woman  of  good  social  position  and  in  early  middle  life; 
Sarah  Bibber  (or  Vibber),  aged  36,  a  loose-tongued  creature,  addicted  to  fits, 
who  with  her  husband  seems  to  have  "worked  out";  Mercy  (not  Mary)  Lewes, 
a  maid  in  the  family  of  Thomas  Putnam,  whose  wife  and  twelve-year-old  daughter, 
both  named  Ann,  were  also  to  have  a  leading  part  among  "the  afflicted."  "Doc- 
tor Griggs'  maid,"  Elizabeth  Hubbard,  aged  17,  was  a  niece  of  his  wife.  It  was 
probably  Dr.  Griggs,  the  physician  of  the  Village,  who  had  first  pronounced  the 
girls  bewitched. 

1  Martha  Corey,  wife  of  Giles  Corey.     She  too  was  advanced  in  years. 

3  For  the  official  report  of  this  examination,  as  of  those  to  follow,  and  for 
all  the  legal  documents  connected  with  these  cases,  the  student  must  of  course 


1692]         LAWSON,  BRIEF  AND  TRUE  NARRATIVE  155 

twelve  of  the  Clock,  they  went  into  the  Meeting-House,  which 
was  Thronged  with  Spectators:  Mr.  Noyes1  began  with  a 
very  pertinent  and  pathetic  Prayer;  and  Goodwife  C.  being 
called  to  answer  to  what  was  Alledged  against  her,  she  desired 
to  go  to  Prayer,  which  was  much  wondred  at,  in  the  presence 
of  so  many  hundred  people :  The  Magistrates  told  her,  they 
would  not  admit  it;  they  came  not  there  to  hear  her  Pray, 
but  to  Examine  her,  in  what  was  Alledged  against  her.  The 
Worshipful  Mr.  Hathorne2  asked  her,  Why  she  Afflicted  those 
Children?  she  said,  she  did  not  Afflict  them.  He  asked  her, 
who  did  then?  she  said,  "I  do  not  know;  How  should  I  know?" 
The  Number  of  the  Afflicted  Persons  were  about  that  time 
Ten,  viz.  Four  Married  Women,  Mrs.  Pope,  Mrs.  Putman,3 
Goodw.  Bibber,  and  an  Ancient  WToman,  named  Goodall, 
three  Maids,  Mary  Walcut,  Mercy  Lewes,  at  Thomas  Putman's, 
and  a  Maid  at  Dr.  Griggs's,  there  were  three  Girls  from  9  to  12 
Years  of  Age,  each  of  them,  or  thereabouts,  viz.  Elizabeth 
Parris,  Abigail  Williams  and  Ann  Putman;  these  were  most 
of  them  at  G.  C's  Examination,  and  did  vehemently  accuse  her 
in  the  Assembly  of  afflicting  them,  by  Biting,  Pinching,  Stran- 
gling, etc.  And  that  they  did  in  their  Fit  see  her  Likeness 
coming  to  them,  and  bringing  a  Book  to  them,  she  said,  she 
had  no  Book;  they  affirmed,  she  had  a  Yellow-Bird,  that  used 
to  suck  betwixt  her  Fingers,  and  being  asked  about  it,  if  she 
had  any  Familiar  Spirit,  that  attended  her,  she  said,  She  had 
no  Familiarity  with  any  such  thing.  She  was  a  Gospel  Woman : 
which  Title  she  called  her  self  by;  and  the  Afflicted  Persons 
told  her,  ah!  She  was,  A  Gospel  Witch.  Ann  Putman  did 
there  affirm,  that  one  day  when  Lieutenant  Fuller  was  at 

turn  to  the  publications  embodying  such  court  records  (see  p.  151,  above). 
Those  of  Goodwife  Corey's  case  may  be  found  in  Woodward's  Records  of  Salem 
Witchcraft,  I.  50-60.  Especially  interesting  is  the  evidence  as  to  her  rational 
attitude:  "shee  told  us,"  testify  those  who  went  to  arrest  her,  "that  shee  did 
not  thinke  that  there  were  any  witches."  They  add  that  it  "was  said  of  her  that 
shee  would  open  the  eyes  of  the  magistrates  and  ministers." 

1  The  Rev.  Nicholas  Noyes,  minister  at  Salem  town. 

2  John  Hathorne,  or  Hawthorne,  a  magistrate  of  the  colony,  and,  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  highest  court,  a  local  magistrate  as  well,  had  his  home  on  his  farm  in 
Salem  Village  and  must  have  known  personally  all  these  neighbors.     It  must  be 
remembered,  and  may  well  be  pointed  out  here,  that  Massachusetts  magistrates 
were  not  men  trained  to  the  law,  but  only  respected  laymen. 

*  Putnam :  this  misspelling  was  common. 


156         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

Prayer  at  her  Fathers  House,  she  saw  the  shape  of  Goodw.  C. 
and  she  thought  Goodw.  N.  Praying  at  the  same  time  to  the 
Devil,  she  was  not  sure  it  was  Goodw.  N.  she  thought  it  was; 
but  very  sure  she  saw  the  Shape  of  G.  C.  The  said  C.  said, 
they  were  poor,  distracted  Children,  and  no  heed  to  be  given 
to  what  they  said.  Mr.  Hathorne  and  Mr.  Noyes  replyed,  it 
was  the  judgment  of  all  that  were  present,  they  were  Bewitched, 
and  only  she,  the  Accused  Person  said,  they  were  Distracted. 
/It  was  observed  several  times,  that  if  she  did  but  bite  her 
1  Under  lip  in  time  of  Examination  the  persons  afflicted  were 
isitten  on  their  armes  and  wrists  and  produced  the  Marks 
before  the  Magistrates,  Ministers  and  others.  And  being 
watched  for  that,  if  she  did  but  Pinch  her  Fingers,  or  Graspe 
one  hand  hard  in  another,  they  were  Pinched  and  produced 
the  Marks  before  the  Magistrates,  and  Spectators.  After 
that,  it  was  observed,  that  if  she  did  but  lean  her  Breast 
against  the  Seat,  in  the  Meeting  House,  (being  the  Barr  at 
which  she  stood,)  they  were  afflicted.  Particularly  Mrs.  Pope 
complained  of  grievous  torment  in  her  Bowels  as  if  they  were 
torn  out.  She  vehemently  accused  said  C.  as  the  instrument, 
and  first  threw  her  Muff  at  her;  but  that  flying  not  home,  she 
got  off  her  Shoe,  and  hit  Goodwife  C.  on  the  head  with  it. 
After  these  postures  were  watched,  if  said  C.  did  but  stir  her 
feet,  they  were  afflicted  in  their  Feet,  and  stamped  fearfully. 
The  afflicted  persons  asked  her  why  she  did  not  go  to  the 
company  of  Witches  which  were  before  the  Meeting  house 
mustering?  Did  she  not  hear  the  Drum  beat?  They  accused 
her  of  having  Familiarity  with  the  Devil,  in  the  time  of  Ex- 
amination, in  the  shape  of  a  Black  man  whispering  in  her 
ear;  they  affirmed,  that  her  Yellow-Bird  sucked  betwixt  her 
Fingers  in  the  Assembly;  and  order  being  given  to  see  if 
there  were  any  sign,  the  Girl  that  saw  it  said,  it  was  too  late 
now;  she  had  removed  a  Pin,  and  put  it  on  her  head;  which 
was  found  there  sticking  upright. 

They  told  her,  she  had  Covenanted  with  the  Devil  for  ten 
years,  six  of  them  were  gone,  and  four  more  to  come.  She  was 
required  by  the  Magistrates  to  answer  that  Question  in  the 
Catechism,  "How  many  persons  be  there  in  the  God-Head?" 
she  answered  it  but  oddly,  yet  was  there  no  great  thing  to  be 
gathered  from  it;  she  denied  all  that  was  charged  upon  her, 


1692]         LAWSON,  BRIEF  AND  TRUE  NARRATIVE  157 

and  said,  They  could  not  prove  a  Witch;  she  was  that  After- 
noon Committed  to  Salem-Prison;  and  after  she  was  in  Custo- 
dy, she  did  not  so  appear  to  them,  and  afflict  them  as  before. 
On  Wednesday  the  23  of  March,  I  went  to  Thomas  Put- 
mans,  on  purpose  to  see  his  Wife :  I  found  her  lying  on  the 
Bed,  having  had  a  sore  fit  a  little  before.  She  spake  to  me,  and 
said,  she  was  glad  to  see  me;  her  Husband  and  she  both  desired 
me  to  pray  with  her,  while  she  was  sensible;  which  I  did, 
though  the  Apparition  said,  I  should  not  go  to  Prayer.  At  the 
first  beginning  she  attended;  but  after  a  little  time,  was  taken 
with  a  fit:  yet  continued  silent,  and  seemed  to  be  Asleep: 
when  Prayer  was  done,  her  Husband  going  to  her,  found  her 
in  a  Fit;  he  took  her  off  the  Bed,  to  set  her  on  his  Knees;  but 
at  first  she  was  so  stiff,  she  could  not  be  bended;  but  she  after- 
wards set  down;  but  quickly  began  to  strive  violently  with  her 
Arms  and  Leggs;  she  then  began  to  Complain  of,  and  as  it 
were  to  Converse  personally  with,  Goodw.  N.,  saying,  "Goodw. 
N.  Be  gone!  Be  gone!  Be  gone!  are  you  not  ashamed,  a  Woman 
of  your  Profession,  to  afflict  a  poor  Creature  so?  what  hurt  did 
I  ever  do  you  in  my  life!  you  have  but  two  years  to  live,  and 
then  the  Devil  will  torment  your  Soul,  for  this  your  Name  is 
blotted  out  of  Gods  Book,  and  it  shall  never  be  put  in  Gods 
Book  again,  be  gone  for  shame,  are  you  not  afraid  of  that  which 
is  coming  upon  you?  I  Know,  I  know,  what  will  make  you 
afraid;  the  wrath  of  an  Angry  God,  I  am  sure  that  will  make 
you  afraid;  be  gone,  do  not  tourment  me,  I  know  what  you 
would  have  (we  judged  she  meant,  her  Soul)  but  it  is  out  of 
your  reach;  it  is  Clothed  with  the  white  Robes  of  Christs 
Righteousness."  After  this,  she  seemed  to  dispute  with  the 
Apparition  about  a  particular  Text  of  Scripture.  The  Appa- 
rition seemed  to  deny  it,  (the  Womans  eyes  being  fast  closed 
all  this  time) ;  she  said,  She  was  sure  there  was  such  a  Text ; 
and  she  would  tell  it;  and  then  the  Shape  would  be  gone,  for 
said  she,  "I  am  sure  you  cannot  stand  before  that  Text!" 
then  she  was  sorely  Afflicted ;  her  mouth  drawn  on  one  side, 
and  her  body  strained  for  about  a  minute,  and  then  said,  "  I  will 
tell,  I  will  tell;  it  is,  it  is,  it  is!"  three  or  four  times,  and  then 
was  afflicted  to  hinder  her  from  telling,  at  last  she  broke  forth 
and  said,  "It  is  the  third  Chapter  of  the  Revelations."  I  did 
something  scruple  the  reading  it,  and  did  let  my  scruple  ap- 


158         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

pear,  lest  Satan  should  make  any  Superstitious  lie  to  improve 
the  Word  of  the  Eternal  God.  However,  tho'  not  versed  in 
these  things,  I  judged  I  might  do  it  this  once  for  an  Experi- 
ment. I  began  to  read,  and  before  I  had  near  read  through 
the  first  verse,  she  opened  her  eyes,  and  was  well ;  this  fit  con- 
tinued near  half  an  hour.  Her  Husband  and  the  Spectators 
told  me,  she  had  often  been  so  relieved  by  reading  Texts  that 
she  named,  something  pertinent  to  her  Case;  as  Isa.  40.  1, 
Isa.  49.  1,  Isa.  50.  1,  and  several  others. 

On  Thursday  the  Twenty  fourth  of  march,  (being  in  course 
the  Lecture  Day,  at  the  Village,)  Goodwife  N.  was  brought 
before  the  Magistrates  Mr.  Hathorne  and  Mr.  Corwin,1 
about  Ten  of  [the]  Clock,  in  the  Fore  Noon,  to  be  Examined 
in  the  Meeting  House;  the  Reverend  Mr.  Hale2  begun  with 
Prayer,  and  the  Warrant  being  read,  she  was  required  to  give 
answer,  Why  she  aflicted  those  persons?  she  pleaded  her  owne 
innocency  with  earnestness.  Thomas  Putman's  Wife,  Abigail 
Williams  and  Thomas  Putmans  daughter  accused  her  that  she 
appeared  to  them,  and  afflicted  them  in  their  fitts :  but  some 
of  the  other  said,  that  they  had  seen  her,  but  knew  not  that 
ever  she  had  hurt  them;  amongst  which  was  Mary  Walcut, 
who  was  presently  after  she  had  so  declared  bitten,  and  cryed 
out  of  her  in  the  meeting-house;  producing  the  Marks  of  teeth 
on  her  wrist.  It  was  so  disposed,  that  I  had  not  leisure  to 
attend  the  whole  time  of  Examination,3  but  both  Magistrates 

1  Jonathan  Corwin  was,  like  Hathorne,  a  member  of  the  Court  of  Assistants, 
the  highest  legislative  and  judicial  body  of  the  colony,  and  like  him  the  son  of 
one  of  its  founders.  They  were  the  men  of  highest  note  in  the  Salem  region. 
Corwin  lived  in  the  town. 

1  Of  Beverly.    As  to  him  see  p.  397,  below. 

*  What  drew  Mr.  Lawson  away  from  the  examinations  was  doubtless  the 
need  to  complete  his  preparation  for  the  important  sermon  of  that  day;  and  it 
must  have  been  this  on  which  he  was  pondering  when  (as  he  records  a  few  lines 
later)  the  shrieks  of  the  afflicted  reached  him  as  he  walked,  "a  little  distance  from 
the  meeting-house."  That  sermon  was,  however,  no  extempore  production,  but 
a  studied  disquisition  on  the  power  and  malice  of  the  Devil,  who  "Contracts  and 
Indents  with  Witches  and  Wizzards,  that  they  shall  be  the  Instruments  by  whom 
he  may  more  secretly  Affect  and  Afflict  the  Bodies  and  Minds  of  others."  "And 
the  Devil,"  taught  Lawson,  committing  himself  wholly  to  belief  in  the  worth  \A 
that  "spectral  evidence"  which  was  to  play  such  a  part  in  the  Salem  episode, 
"having  them  in  his  subjection,  by  their  Consent,  he  will  use  their  Bodies  and 
Minds,  Shapes  and  Representations,  to  Affright  and  Afflict  others  at  his  pleasure." 
The  magistrates  were  present  at  the  sermon;  and  to  them  he  dedicated  the  ser- 


1692]         LAWSON,  BRIEF  AND  TRUE  NARRATIVE  159 

and  Ministers  told  me,  that  the  things  alledged  by  the  afflicted, 
and  defences  made  by  her,  were  much  after  the  same  manner, 
as  the  former  was.  And  her  Motions  did  produce  like  effects 
as  to  Biteing,  Pinching,  Bruising,  Tormenting,  at  their  Breasts, 
by  her  Leaning,  and  when,  bended  Back,  were  as  if  their  Backs 
was  broken.  The  afflicted  persons  said,  the  Black  Man  whis- 
pered to  her  in  the  Assembly,  and  therefore  she  could  not 
hear  what  the  Magistrates  said  unto  her.  They  said  also  that 
she  did  then  ride  by  the  Meeting-house,  behind  the  Black 
Man.  Thomas  Putman's  wife  had  a  grievous  Fit,  in  the 
time  of  Examination,  to  the  very  great  Impairing  of  her 
strength,  and  wasting  of  her  spirits,  insomuch  as  she  could 
hardly  move  hand,  or  foot,  when  she  was  carryed  out.  Others 
also  were  there  grievously  afflicted,  so  that  there  was  once 
such  an  hideous  scrietch  and  noise,  (which  I  heard  as  I  walked, 
at  a  little  distance  from  the  Meeting  house,)  as  did  amaze  me, 
and  some  that  were  within  told  me  the  whole  assembly  was 
struck  with  consternation,  and  they  were  afraid,  that  those 
that  sate  next  to  them,  were  under  the  influence  of  Witchcraft. 
This  woman  also  was  that  day  committed  to  Salem  Prison. 
The  Magistrates  and  Ministers  also  did  informe  me,  that  they 
apprehended  a  child  of  Sarah  G.1  and  Examined  it,  being 
between  4  and  5  years  of  Age,  And  as  to  matter  of  Fact,  they 
did  Unanimously  affirm,  that  when  this  Child  did  but  cast 
its  eye  upon  the  afflicted  persons,  they  were  tormented,  and 
they  held  her  Head,  and  yet  so  many  as  her  eye  could  fix  upon 
were  afflicted.  Which  they  did  several  times  make  careful 
observation  of :  the  afflicted  complained,  they  had  often  been 
Bitten  by  this  child,  and  produced  the  marks  of  a  small  set 
of  teeth,  accordingly,  this  was  also  committed  to  Salem  Prison; 
the  child  looked  hail,  and  well  as  other  Children.  I  saw  it 
at  Lieut.  Ingersols.2  After  the  commitment  of  Goodw.  N., 
Tho :  Putmans  wife  was  much  better,  and  had  no  violent  fits 

mon  when,  in  the  following  year,  he  gave  it  to  the  press  under  the  title  of  Christ's 
Fidelity  the  only  Shield  against  Satan's  Malignity.  A  second  edition  was  printed 
under  his  eye  at  London  in  1704  (see  p.  149,  above). 

1  Sarah  Good,  who  with  Sarah  Osburn  and  Parris's  slave-woman  Tituba 
had  been  examined  and  committed  to  jail  on  March  1,  before  Lawson's  visit  (see 
p.  343,  below). 

2  Little  Dorcas  Good,  thus  sent  to  prison  "as  hale  and  well  as  other  chil- 
dren," lay  there  seven  or  eight  months,  and  "being  chain'd  in  the  dungeon  was 


160         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

at  all  from  that  24th  of  March  to  the  5th  of  April.  Some  others 
also  said  they  had  not  seen  her  so  frequently  appear  to  them, 
to  hurt  them. 

On  the  25th  of  March,  (as  Capt.  Stephen  Sewal,1  of  Salem, 
did  afterwards  inform  me)  Eliza.  Paris  had  sore  Fits,  at  his 
house,  which  much  troubled  himself,  and  his  wife,  so  as  he 
told  me  they  were  almost  discouraged.  She  related,  that  the 
great  Black  Man  came  to  her,  and  told  her,  if  she  would  be 
ruled  by  him,  she  should  have  whatsoever  she  desired,  and  go 
to  a  Golden  City.  She  relating  this  to  Mrs.  Sewall,  she  told 
the  child,  it  was  the  Divel,  and  he  was  a  Lyar  from  the  Begin- 
ning, and  bid  her  tell  him  so,  if  he  came  again :  which  she  did 
accordingly,  at  the  next  coming  to  her,  in  her  fits. 

On  the  26th  of  March,  Mr.  Hathorne,  Mr.  Corwin,  and 
Mr.  Higison2  were  at  the  Prison-Keepers  House,  to  Examine 
the  Child,3  and  it  told  them  there,  it  had  a  little  Snake  that 
used  to  Suck  on  the  lowest  Joynt  of  it[s]  Fore-Finger;  and 
when  they  inquired  where,  pointing  to  other  places,  it  told 
them,  not  there,  but  there,  pointing  on  the  Lowest  point  of 
Fore-Finger;  where  they  Observed  a  deep  Red  Spot,  about  the 
Bigness  of  a  Flea-bite,  they  asked  who  gave  it  that  Snake? 
whether  the  great  Black  man,  it  said  no,  its  Mother  gave  it. 

The  31  of  March  there  was  a  Publick  Fast  kept  at  Salem 
on  account  of  these  Afflicted  Persons.  And  Abigail  Williams 
said,  that  the  Witches  had  a  Sacrament  that  day  at  an  house 
in  the  Village,  and  that  they  had  Red  Bread  and  Red  Drink. 
The  first  of  April,  Mercy  Lewis,  Thomas  Putman's  Maid,  in 
her  fitt,  said,  they  did  eat  Red  Bread  like  Mans  Flesh,  and 

so  hardly  used  and  terrify ed"  that  eighteen  years  later  her  father  alleged  "that 
she  hath  ever  since  been  very  chargeable,  haveing  little  or  no  reason  to  govern 
herself."  See  his  petition  for  damages,  September  13,  1710  (printed  in  the  N.  E. 
Hist,  and  Gen.  Register,  XXXV.  253— the  MS.  is  now  in  the  President  White 
Library  at  Cornell  University).  He  was  allowed  £30. 

1  Stephen  Sewall,  clerk  of  the  courts  at  Salem,  in  whose  home  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Parris  had  now  placed  his  daughter  Elizabeth — a  fact  which  may  have  some  con- 
nection with  his  being  one  of  the  most  ardent  furtherers  of  the  trials.  It  was 
from  him  that  Cotton  Mather  later  asked  the  materials  for  his  account  of  them 
(see  p.  206,  below).  He  must,  of  course,  not  be  confused  with  his  more  eminent 
brother,  Samuel  Sewall,  of  Boston,  whom  we  shall  soon  meet  as  a  judge  in  the 
Salem  trials.  , 

1  The  Rev.  John  Higginson,  the  aged  senior  minister  of  the  church  in  Salem. 

1  Dorcas  Good,  of  course,  not  Elizabeth  Parris. 


1692]         LAWSON,  BRIEF  AND  TRUE  NARRATIVE  161 

would  have  had  her  eat  some:  but  she  would  not;  but  turned 
away  her  head,  and  Spit  at  them,  and  said,  "I  will  not  Eat,  I 
will  not  Drink,  it  is  Blood,"  etc.  She  said,  "That  is  not  the 
Bread  of  Life,  that  is  not  the  Water  of  Life;  Christ  gives  the 
Bread  of  Life,  I  will  have  none  of  it!"  This  first  of  April  also 
Marcy  Lewis  aforesaid  saw  in  her  fitt  a  White  man  and  was 
with  him  in  a  Glorious  Place,  which  had  no  Candles  nor  Sun, 
yet  was  full  of  Light  and  Brightness;  where  was  a  great  Mul- 
titude in  White  glittering  Robes,  and  they  Sung  the  Song  in 
the  fifth  of  Revelation  the  Ninth  verse,  and  the  110  Psalm, 
and  the  149  Psalm;  and  said  with  her  self,  "How  long  shall  I 
stay  here?  let  me  be  along  with  you" :  She  was  loth  to  leave 
this  place,  and  grieved  that  she  could  tarry  no  longer.  This 
Whiteman1  hath  appeared  several  times  to  some  of  them,  and 
given  them  notice  how  long  it  should  be  before  they  had  another  / 
Fit,  which  was  sometimes  a  day,  or  day  and  half,  or  more  or 
IBB:  it  hath  fallen  out  accordingly. 

The  third  of  April,  the  Lords-Day,  being  Sacrament-day, 
at  the  Village,  Goodw.  C.2  upon  Mr.  Parris's  naming  his 
Text,  John  6,  70,  One  of  them  is  a  Devil,  the  said  Goodw.  C. 
went  immediately  out  of  the  Meeting-House,  and  flung  the 
door  after  her  violently,  to  the  amazement  of  the  Congrega- 
tion :  She  was  afterward  seen  by  some  in  their  Fits,  who  said, 
"0  Goodw.  C.,  I  did  not  think  to  see  you  here!"  (and  being  at 
their  Red  bread  and  drink)  said  to  her,  "Is  this  a  time  to  re- 
ceive the  Sacrament,  you  ran-away  on  the  Lords-Day,  and 
scorned  to  receive  it  in  the  Meeting-House,  and,  Is  this  a 
time  to  receive  it?  I  wonder  at  you!"  This  is  the  summ  of 
what  I  either  saw  my  self,  or  did  receive  Information  from 
persons  of  undoubted  Reputation  and  Credit. 

Remarks  of  things  more  than  ordinary  about  the  Afflicted  Persons. 

1.  They  are  in  their  Fits  tempted  to  be  Witches,  are  shewed 
the  List  of  the  Names  of  others,  and  are  tortured,  because  they 
will  not  yield  to  Subscribe,  or  meddle  with,  or  touch  the  Book, 
and  are  promised  to  have  present  Relief  if  they  would  do  it. 

1  White  man. 

8  Not  Goodwife  Corey,  but  Goodwife  Sarah  Cloyse,  sister  of  Rebecca 
Nurse.  For  an  explanation  of  the  slammed  door,  see  p.  346,  below. 


162         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

2.  They  did  in  the  Assembly  mutually  Cure  each  other, 
even  with  a  Touch  of  their  Hand,  when  Strangled,  and  other- 
wise Tortured ;  and  would  endeavour  to  get  to  their  Afflicted, 
to  Relieve  them. 

3.  They  did  also  foretel  when  anothers  Fit  was  a-coming, 
and  would  say,  "Look  to  her!  she  will  have  a  Fit  presently," 
which  fell  out  accordingly,  as  many  can  bear  witness,  that 
heard  and  saw  it. 

4.  That  at  the  same  time,  when  the  Accused  Person  was 
present,  the  Afflicted  Persons  saw  her  Likeness  in  other  places 
of  the  Meeting-House,  suckling  her  Familiar,  sometimes  in 
one  place  and  posture,  and  sometimes  in  another. 

5.  That  their  Motions  in  their  Fits  are  Preternatural,  both 
as  to  the  manner,  which  is  so  strange  as  a  well  person  could 
not  Screw  their  Body  into;   and  as  to  the  violence  also  it  is 
preternatural,  being  much  beyond  the  Ordinary  force  of  the 
same  person  when  they  are  in  their  right  mind. 

6.  The  eyes  of  some  of  them  in  their  fits  are  exceeding  fast 
closed,  and  if  you  ask  a  question  they  can  give  no  answer,  and 
I  do  believe  they  cannot  hear  at  that  time,  yet  do  they  plainely 
converse  with  the  Appearances,  as  if  they  did  discourse  with 
real  persons. 

7.  They  are  utterly  pressed  against  any  persons  Praying 
with  them,  and  told  by  the  appearances,  they  shall  not  go  to 
Prayer,  so  Tho.  Putmans  wife  was  told,  I  should  not  Pray; 
but  she  said,  I  should :  and  after  I  had  done,  reasoned  with  the 
Appearance,  "Did  not  I  say  he  should  go  to  Prayer?" 

8.  The  forementioned  Mary  W.1  being  a  little  better  at 
ease,  the  Afflicted  persons  said,  she  had  signed  the  book;  and 
that  was  the  reason  she  was  better.    Told  me  by  Edward 
Putman.2 

Remarks  concerning  the  Accused. 

1.  For  introduction  to  the  discovery  of  those  that  afflicted 
them,  It  is  reported  Mr.  Parris's  Indian  Man  and  Woman 
made  a  Cake  of  Rye  Meal,  and  the  Childrens  water,  baked  it 

1  Walcot. 

1  Deacon  Edward  Putnam,  a  pillar  of  the  village  church,  was  brother  and 
close  neighbor  to  Thomas  Putnam,  whose  wife,  daughter,  and  maid  were  leaders 
among  "the  afflicted." 


1692]         LAWSON,  BRIEF  AND  TRUE  NARRATIVE  163 

in  the  Ashes,  and  gave  it  to  a  Dogge,  since  which  they  have 
discovered,  and  seen  particular  persons  hurting  of  them. 

2.  In  Time  of  Examination,  they  seemed  little  affected, 
though  all  the  Spectators  were  much  grieved  to  see  it. 

3.  Natural  Actions  in  them  produced  Preternatural  actions 
in  the  Afflicted,  so  that  they  are  their  own  Image  without  any 
Poppits  of  Wax  or  otherwise.1 

4.  That  they  are  accused  to  have  a  Company  about  23  or 
24  and  they  did  Muster  in  Armes,  as  it  seemed  to  the  Afflicted 
Persons. 

5.  Since  they  were  confined,  the  Persons  have  not  been  so 
much  Afflicted  with  their  appearing  to  them,  Biteing  or  Pinch- 
ing of  them,  etc. 

6.  They  are  reported  by  the  Afflicted  Persons  to  keep  dayes 
of  Fast  and  dayes  of  Thanksgiving,  and  Sacraments;   Satan 
endeavours  to  Transforme  himself  to  an  Angel  of  Light,  and 
to  make  his  Kingdom  and  Administrations  to  resemble  those 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

7.  Satan  Rages  Principally  amongst  the  Visible  Subjects 
of  Christ's  Kingdom  and  makes  use  (at  least  in  appearance) 
of  some  of  them  to  Afflict  others;  that  Christ's  Kingdom  may 
be  divided  against  it  self,  and  so  be  weakened. 

8.  Several  things  used  in  England  at  Tryal  of  Witches,  to 
the  Number  of  14  or  15,  which  are  wont  to  pass  instead  of 
or  in  Concurrence  with  Witnesses,  at  least  6  or  7  of  them  are 
found  in  these  accused :  see  Keebles  Statutes.2 

1  /.  e.,  these  witches  have  no  need,  as  do  others  (see  p.  104),  to  make  images, 
or  puppets,  in  the  likeness  of  those  they  wish  to  torment,  and  then  by  torturing  the 
puppets  to  inflict  the  same  tortures  on  those  they  represent :  these  witches  have 
only  to  act,  and  then*  victims  are  preternaturally  compelled  to  the  same  action. 

2  What  is  meant  is  clearly  not  the  collection  of  English  statutes  compiled 
by  Joseph  Keeble,  or  Keble,   (1632-1710).     Often  printed  (1676,  1681,  1684, 
1695,  1706),  this  seems  to  have  been  standard  in  the  colonies  as  at  home;  but  it 
contains  absolutely  nothing  but  the  text  of  the  statutes  in  force,  "with  the  titles 
of  such  as  are  expired,  repealed,  altered,  or  out  of  use,"  and  at  the  end  an  analyt- 
ical table  of  subjects.     The  work  really  meant  is  Keble's  An  Assistance  to  Justices 
of  the  Peace  (London,  1683,  1689).     This  work,  however,  borrows  its  pages  on 
witchcraft  (pp.  217-220)  from  the  older  manuals  of  Lambarde,  West,  and  Dai- 
ton;    and  the  passage  in  question  is  one  compiled  by  Michael  Dalton,  for  the 
later  editions  of  his  The  Countrey  Justice,  from  Thomas  Potts's  Discoverie  of 
Witches  (1613)  and  Richard  Barnard's  Guide  to  Grand-Jury  Men  (1627).     For 
aid  in  this  identification,  and  for  a  transcript  of  these  pages  from  the  Harvard 
copy  of  Keble,  the  editor  is  indebted  to  Mr.  David  M.  Matteson. 


164         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

9.  Some  of  the  most  solid  Afflicted  Persons  do  affirme  the 
same  things  concerning  seeing  the  accused  out  of  their  Fitts 
as  well  as  in  them. 

10.  The  Witches  had  a  Fast,  and  told  one  of  the  Afflicted 
Girles,  she  must  not  Eat,  because  it  was  Fast  Day,  she  said, 
she  would :  they  told  her  they  would  Choake  her  then ;  which 
when  she  did  eat,  was  endeavoured. 

Finis. 


LETTER  OF  THOMAS  BRATTLE,   F.  R.  S.,   1692 


INTRODUCTION 

FROM  that  April  day  when  Mr.  Lawson  closed  his  account 
it  was  long  before  another  eye-witness  undertook  a  narrative. 
Yet  great  things  were  doing.  At  Salem  accusation  and  hear- 
ing went  on  apace,  and  the  jails  grew  crowded,  awaiting  the 
session  of  a  court.  On  May  14  arrived  from  England  Presi- 
dent Increase  Mather,  bringing  the  new  charter,  and  with 
him  the  new  governor,  Sir  William  Phips.  What  the  governor 
thought  of  the  emergency  and  how  he  dealt  with  it  we  shall 
presently  learn  from  his  own  pen.  But  other  pens  were  earlier 
busy.  Perhaps  the  most  notable  was  that  of  Thomas  Brattle, 
who  early  in  October  addressed  the  following  letter  to  some 
clerical  correspondent.  Who  this  divine  may  have  been  whose 
questions  the  letter  answers  is  unknown :  our  document  is  not 
the  original,  but  a  copy  without  superscription,  and  from  its 
contents  we  can  infer  no  more  than  that  he  lived  or  had  lived 
in  the  colony.  But  Thomas  Brattle  we  know  well.  "He  was," 
wrote  President  Leverett  of  Harvard  at  his  death,  "a  gentle- 
man by  his  birth  and  education  of  the  first  order  in  this  coun- 
try." Born  at  Boston,  in  1658,  of  wealthy  parentage,  a  grad- 
uate and  a  master  of  arts  of  Harvard,  then  a  traveller  and  a 
student  abroad,  he  won  such  distinction  as  a  mathematician, 
and  notably  as  an  astronomer,  as  to  be  made  a  member  of  the 
Royal  Society,  and  was  in  close  touch  with  the  world  of 
scholars;  but  his  career  was  that  of  an  opulent  and  cultivated 
Boston  merchant,  and  for  twenty  years,  from  1693  to  his 
death  in  1713,  he  was  treasurer  of  Harvard  College.  "In  the 
Church,"  said  of  him  the  Boston  News-Letter,  "he  was  known 

and  valued  for  his  Catholick  Charity  to  all  of  the  reformed 

167 


168         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

Religion,  but  more  especially  his  great  Veneration  for  the 
Church  of  England,  although  his  general  and  more  constant 
communion  was  with  the  Nonconformists."  In  other  words, 
he  was  of  the  liberal  party  in  religion  and  politics,  an  eminent 
opponent  of  the  Puritan  theocracy,  and  he  did  not  escape  the 
epithets  "apostate"  and  "infidel." 

The  letter  here  printed  did  not  see  print  in  his  own  day; 
but  that  the  present  copy  exists  suggests  that  it  may  have  been 
meant  to  circulate  in  manuscript,1  and  it  is  not  impossible  that 
it  was  even  written  for  that  purpose.  Yet  if  so,  we  may  be 
sure  it  was  used  with  discretion.  It  was  his  grand-nephew, 
the  then  well-known  Thomas  Brattle,  Esq.,  of  Cambridge, 
who  late  in  the  eighteenth  century  communicated  it  to  the 
Massachusetts  Historical  Society.2  From  that  manuscript 
copy  it  is  here  reprinted. 

1  The  suggestion  is  that  of  Sibley,  in  his  sketch  of  Brattle's  life  (Harvard 
Graduates,  II.  489-^98),  the  best  summary  of  what  is  known  of  him.  That  the 
extant  copy  is  without  superscription,  and  signed  by  initials  only,  may  point  to 
such  a  use.  It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  it  was  written  on  the  eve  of  the  session 
of  the  General  Court. 

1  It  was  first  published  in  that  society's  Collections,  V.  61-79. 


LETTER  OF  THOMAS   BRATTLE,   F.  R.  S.,  1692 

October  8,  1692. 
Reverend  Sir, 

YOUR'S  I  received  the  other  day,  and  am  very  ready  to  serve 
you  to  my  uttmost.  I  should  be  very  loath  to  bring  myself 
into  any  snare  by  my  freedom  with  you,  and  therefore  hope 
that  you  will  put  the  best  construction  on  what  I  write,  and 
secure  me  from  such  as  would  interprett  my  lines  otherwise 
than  they  are  designed.  Obedience  to  lawfull  authority  I 
evermore  accounted  a  great  duty;  and  willingly  I  would  not 
practise  any  thing  that  might  thwart  and  contradict  such  a 
principle.  Too  many  are  ready  to  despise  dominions,  and 
speak  evil  of  Dignities;  and  I  am  sure  the  mischiefs,  which 
arise  from  a  factious  and  rebellious  spirit,  are  very  sad  and 
notorious;  insomuch  that  I  would  sooner  bite  my  finger's 
ends  than  willingly  cast  dirt  on  authority,  or  any  way  offer 
reproach  to  it :  Far,  therefore,  be  it  from  me,  to  have  any  thing 
to  do  with  those  men  your  letter  mentions,  whom  you  acknowl- 
edge to  be  men  of  a  factious  spirit,  and  never  more  in  their 
element  than  when  they  are  declaiming  against  men  in  public 
place,  and  contriving  methods  that  tend  to  the  disturbance 
of  the  common  peace.  I  never  accounted  it  a  credit  to  my 
cause,  to  have  the  good  liking  of  such  men.  My  son!  (says 
Solomon)  fear  thou  the  Lord  and  the  King,  and  meddle  not  with 
them  that  are  given  to  change.  Prov.  xxiv.  21.  However,  Sir, 
I  never  thought  Judges  infallible;  but  reckoned  that  they,  as 
well  as  private  men,  might  err;  and  that  when  they  were 
guilty  of  erring,  standers  by,  who  possibly  had  not  half  their 
judgment,  might,  notwithstanding,  be  able  to  detect  and  be- 
hold their  errors.  And  furthermore,  when  errors  of  that  nature 
are  thus  detected  and  observed,  I  never  thought  it  an  interfer- 
ing with  dutifullness  and  subjection  for  one  man  to  communi- 
cate his  thoughts  to  another  thereabout;  and  with  modesty 

169 


170         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

and  due  reverence  to  debate  the  premised  failings;  at  least, 
when  errours  are  fundamental,  and  palpably  pervert  the  great 
end  of  authority  and  government:  for  as  to  circumstantial 
errours,  I  must  confesse  my  principle  is,  that  it  is  the  duty  of 
a  good  subject  to  cover  with  his  silence  a  multitude  of  them. 
But  I  shall  no  longer  detain  you  with  my  preface,  but  passe 
to  some  things  you  look  for,  and  whether  you  expect  such 
freedome  from  me,  yea  or  no,  yet  shall  you  find,  that  I  am  very 
open  to  communicate  my  thoughts  unto  you,  and  in  plain 
terms  to  tell  you  what  my  opinion  is  of  the  Salem  proceedings. 
First,  as  to  the  method  which  the  Salem  Justices  do  take 

•in  their  examinations,  it  is  truly  this :  A  warrant  being  issued 
out  to  apprehend  the  persons  that  are  charged  and  complained 
of  by  the  afflicted  children,  (as  they  are  called) ;  said  persons 
are  brought  before  the  Justices,  (the  afflicted  being  present.) 
The  Justices  ask  the  apprehended  why  they  afflict  those  poor 
children ;  to  which  the  apprehended  answer,  they  do  not  afflict 
them.  The  Justices  order  the  apprehended  to  look  upon  the 
said  children,  which  accordingly  they  do;  and  at  the  time  of 
^  that  look,  (I  dare  not  say  by  that  look,  as  the  Salem  Gentlemen 
do)  the  afflicted  are  cast  into  a  fitt.  The  apprehended  are  then 
blinded,  and  ordered  to  touch  the  afflicted;  and  at  that  touch, 
tho'  not  by  the  touch,  (as  above)  the  afflicted  ordinarily  do 
come  out  of  their  fitts.  The  afflicted  persons  then  declare  and 
affirm,  that  the  apprehended  have  afflicted  them;  upon  which 
the  apprehended  persons,  tho'  of  never  so  good  repute,  are 

(forthwith  committed  to  prison,  on  suspicion  for  witchcraft. 
One  of  the  Salem  Justices1  was  pleased  to  tell  Mr.  Alden,2 
(when  upon  his  examination)  that  truly  he  had  been  ac- 
quainted with  him  these  many  years;  and  had  always  ac- 
counted him  a  good  man ;  but  indeed  now  he  should  be  obliged 
to  change  his  opinion.  This,  there  are  more  than  one  or  two 
did  hear,  and  are  ready  to  swear  to,  if  not  in  so  many  words, 
yet  as  to  its  natural  and  plain  meaning.  He  saw  reason  to 
change  his  opinion  of  Mr.  Alden,  because  that  at  the  time  he 
touched  the  poor  child,  the  poor  child  came  out  of  her  fitt. 

1  Bartholomew  Gedney. 

1  Captain  John  Alden,  of  Boston,  son  of  the  John  Alden  of  the  Mayflower 
and  of  Longfellow's  poem.  For  Alden's  own  account  of  this  episode  see  pp.  353- 
355,  below. 


1692]  THOMAS  BRATTLE,  LETTER  171 

I  suppose  his  Honour  never  made  the  experiment,  whether 
there  was  not  as  much  virtue  in  his  own  hand,  as  there  was  in 
Mr.  Alden's,  to  cure  by  a  touch.  I  know  a  man  that  will 
venture  two  to  one  with  any  Salemite  whatever,  that  let  the 
nrntter  be  duly  managed,  and  the  afflicted  person  shall  come 
out  of  her  fitt  upon  the  touch  of  the  most  religious  hand  in 
Salem.  It  is  worthily  noted  by  some,  that  at  some  times  the 
afflicted  will  not  presently  come  out  of  their  fitts  upon  the 
touch  of  the  suspected;  and  then,  forsooth,  they  are  ordered 
by  the  Justices  to  grasp  hard,  harder  yet,  etc.  insomuch  that 
at  length  the  afflicted  come  out  of  their  fitts;  and  the  reason 
is  very  good,  because  that  a  touch  of  any  hand,  and  processe 
of  time,  will  work  the  cure;  infallibly  they  will  do  it,  as  experi- 
ence teaches. 

I  cannot  but  condemn  this  method  of  the  Justices,  of 
making  this  touch  of  the  hand  a  rule  to  discover  witchcraft; 
because  I  am  fully  persuaded  that  it  is  sorcery,  and  a  super- 
stitious method,  and  that  which  we  have  no  rule  for,  either 
from  reason  or  religion.  The  Salem  Justices,  at  least  some 
of  them,  do  assert,  that  the  cure  of  the  afflicted  persons  is  a 
natural  effect  of  this  touch;  and  they  are  so  well  instructed 
in  the  Cartesian  philosophy,  and  in  the  doctrine  of  effluvia, 
that  they  undertake  to  give  a  demonstration  how  this  touch 
does  cure  the  afflicted  persons;  and  the  account  they  give  of 
it  is  this;  that  by  this  touch,  the  venemous  and  malignant 
particles,  that  were  ejected  from  the  eye,  do,  by  this  means, 
return  to  the  body  whence  they  came,  and  so  leave  the  afflicted 
persons  pure  and  whole.  I  must  confesse  to  you,  that  I  am 
no  small  admirer  of  the  Cartesian  philosophy;  but  yet  I  have 
not  so  learned  it.  Certainly  this  is  a  strain  that  it  will  by  no 
me&ns  allow  of. 

(J.  would  fain  know  of  these  Salem  Gentlemen,  but  as  yet 
could  never  know,  how  it  comes  about,  that  if  these  appre- 
hended persons  are  witches,  and,  by  a  look  of  the  eye,  do  cast 
the  afflicted  into  their  fitts  by  poisoning  them,  how  it  comes 
about,  I  say,  that,  by  a  look  of  their  eye,  they  do  not  cast  others 
into  fitts,  and  poison  others  by  their  looks;  and  in  particular, 
tender,  fearfull  women,  who  often  are  beheld  by  them,  and  as 
likely  as  any  in  the  whole  world  to  receive  an  ill  impression 
from  them7  This  Salem  philosophy,  some  men  may  call  the 


172         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

new  philosophy;  but  I  think  it  rather  deserves  the  name  of 
Salem  superstition  and  sorcery,  and  it  is  not  fitt  to  be  named 
in  a  land  of  such  light  as  New-England  is.  I  think  the  matter 
might  be  better  solved  another  way;  but  I  shall  not  make 
any  attempt  that  way,  further  than  to  say^that  these  afflicted 
children,  (as  they  are  called,)  do  hold  correspondence  with  the 
devill,  even  in  the  esteem  and  account  of  the  S.  G.  j1  for  when 
the  black  man,  i.  e.  (say  these  gentlemen,)  the  Devill,  does 
appear  to  them,  they  ask  him  many  questions,  and  accordingly 
give  information  to  the  inquirer;  and  if  this  is  not  holding 
correspondence  with  the  devill,  and  something  worse,  I  know 
not  what  is.""] 

But  furthermore,  I  would  fain  know  of  these  Salem  Jus- 
tices what  need  there  is  of  further  proof  and  evidence  to  con- 
vict and  condemn  these  apprehended  persons,  than  this  look 
and  touch,  if  so  be  they  are  so  certain  that  this  falling  down 
and  arising  up,  when  there  is  a  look  and  a  touch,  are  natural 
effects  of  the  said  look  and  touch,  and  so  a  perfect  demonstra- 
tion and  proof  of  witchcraft  in  those  persons.  What  can  the 
Jury  or  Judges  desire  more,  to  convict  any  man  of  witchcraft, 
than  a  plain  demonstration,  that  the  said  man  is  a  witch? 
Now  if  this  look  and  touch,  circumstanced  as  before,  be  a 
plain  demonstration,  (as  their  Philosophy  teaches;)  what  need 
they  seek  for  further  evidences,  when,  after  all,  it  can  be  but 
a  demonstration? 

But  let  this  pass  with  the  S.  G.  for  never  so  plain  and 
natural  a  demonstration;  yet  certain  is  it,  that  the  reasonable 
part  of  the  world,  when  acquainted  herewith,  will  laugh  at 
the  demonstration,  and  conclude  that  the  said  S.  G.  are  actu- 
ally possessed,  at  least,  with  ignorance  and  folly. 

I  most  admire2  that  Mr.  N.  N.3  the  Reverend  Teacher  at 
Salem,  who  was  educated  at  the  School  of  Knowledge,  and  is 
certainly  a  learned,  a  charitable,  and  a  good  man,  though  all 
the  devils  in  Hell,  and  all  the  possessed  girls  in  Salem,  should 
say  to  the  contrary;  at  him,  (I  say,)  I  do  most  admire;  that 
he  should  cry  up  the  above  mentioned  philosophy  after  the 
manner  that  he  does.  I  can  assure  you,  that  I  can  bring  you 
more  than  two,  or  twice  two,  (very  credible  persons)  that  will 

1 1.  e.,  Salem  gentlemen — and  so  hereafter. 

1  Marvel,  am  surprised.  *  Nicholas  Noyes. 


1692]  THOMAS  BRATTLE,  LETTER  173 

affirm,  that  they  have  heard  him  vindicate  the  above  men- 
tioned demonstration  as  very  reasonable. 

Secondly,  with  respect  to  the  confessours,  (as  they  are  im- 
properly called,)  or  such  as  confesse  themselves  to  be  witches, 
(the  second  thing  you  inquire  into  in  your  letter),  there  are 
now  about  fifty  of  them  in  Prison;  many  of  which  I  have 
again  and  again  seen  and  heard;  and  I  cannot  but  tell  you, 
that  my  faith  is  strong  concerning  them,  that  they  are  de- 
luded, imposed  upon,  and  under  the  influence  of  some  evill 
spirit;  and  therefore  unfitt  to  be  evidences  either  against 
themselves,  or  any  one  else.  I  now  speak  of  one  sort  of  them, 
and  of  others  afterward. 

These  confessours,  (as  they  are  called,)  do  very  often  con- 
tradict themselves,  as  inconsistently  as  is  usual  for  any  crazed, 
distempered  person  to  do.  This  the  S.  G.  do  see  and  take 
notice  of;  and  even  the  Judges  themselves  have,  at  some 
times,  taken  these  confessours  in  flat  lyes,  or  contradictions, 
even  in  the  Courts;  By  reason  of  which,  one  would  have 
thought,  that  the  Judges  would  have  frowned  upon  the  said 
confessours,  discarded  them,  and  not  minded  one  tittle  of  any 
thing  that  they  said;  but  instead  thereof,  (as  sure  as  we  are 
men,)  the  Judges  vindicate  these  confessours,  and  salve  their 
contradictions,  by  proclaiming,  that  the  Devill  takes  away 
their  memory,  and  imposes  upon  their  brain.  If  this  reflects 
any  where,  I  am  very  sorry  for  it:  I  can  but  assure  you,  that, 
upon  the  word  of  an  honest  man,  it  is  truth,  and  that  I  can 
bring  you  many  credible  persons  to  witnesse  it,  who  have 
been  eye  and  ear  wittnesses  to  these  things. 

These  confessours  then,  at  least  some  of  them,  even  in  the 
Judges'  own  account,  are  under  the  influence  of  the  JDevill; 
and  the  brain  of  these  Confessours  is  imposed  upon  by  the 
Devill,  even  in  the  Judges'  account.  But  now,  if,  in  the 
Judges'  account,  these  confessours  are  under  the  influence  of 
the  Devill,  and  their  brains  are  affected  and  imposed  upon  by 
the  Devill,  so  that  they  are  not  their  own  men,  why  then  should 
these  Judges,  or  any  other  men,  make  such  account  of,  and 
set  so  much  by,  the  words  of  these  Confessours,  as  they  do? 
In  short,  I  argue  thus: 

If  the  Devill  does  actually  take  away  the  memory  of  them 
at  some  times,  certainly  the  Devill,  at  other  times,  may  very 


174         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

reasonably  be  thought  to  affect  their  fancyes,  and  to  represent 
false  ideas  to  their  imagination.  But  now,  if  it  be  thus  granted, 
that  the  Devill  is  able  to  represent  false  ideas  (to  speak  vul- 
garly) to  the  imaginations  of  the  confessours,  what  man  of 
sense  will  regard  the  confessions,  or  any  of  the  words,  of  these 
confessours? 

The  great  cry  of  many  of  our  neighbours  now  is,  What, 
will  you  not  believe  the  confessours?  Will  you  not  believe 
men  and  women  who  confesse  that  they  have  signed  to  the 
DevilFs  book?  that  they  were  baptized  by  the  Devill;  and 
that  they  were  at  the  mock-sacrament  once  and  again?  What ! 
will  you  not  believe  that  this  is  witchcraft,  and  that  such  and 
such  men  are  witches,  altho'  the  confessours  do  own  and  as- 
sert it? 

Thus,  I  say,  many  of  our  good  neighbours  do  argue;  but 
methinks  they  might  soon  be  convinced  that  there  is  nothing 
at  all  in  all  these  their  arguings,  if  they  would  but  duly  con- 
sider of  the  premises. 

In  the  mean  time,  I  think  we  must  rest  satisfyed  in  it,  and 
be  thankfull  to  God  for  it,  that  all  men  are  not  thus  bereft  of 
their  senses;  but  that  we  have  here  and  there  considerate  and 
thinking  men,  who  will  not  thus  be  imposed  upon,  and  abused, 
by  the  subtle  endeavours  of  the  crafty  one. 

In  the  next  place,  I  proceed  to  the  form  of  their  indite- 
ments,  and  the  Trials  thereupon. 

The  Inditement  runs  for  sorcery  and  witchcraft,  acted  upon 
the  body  of  such  an  one,  (say  M.  Warren),  at  such  a  particu- 
lar time,  (say  April  14,  '92,)  and  at  divers  other  times  before 
and  after,  whereby  the  said  M.  W.  is  wasted  and  consumed, 
pined,  etc. 

Now  for  the  proof  of  the  said  sorcery  and  witchcraft,  the 
prisoner  at  the  bar  pleading  not  guilty. 

1.  The  afflicted  persons  are  brought  into  Court;  and  after 
much  patience  and  pains  taken  with  them,  do  take  their  oaths, 
that  the  prisoner  at  the  bar  did  afflict  them :  And  here  I  think 
it  very  observable,  that  often,  when  the  afflicted  do  mean  and 
intend  only  the  appearance  and  shape  of  such  an  one,  (say  G. 
Proctour)  yet  they  positively  swear  that  G.  Proctour  did  afflict 
them;  and  they  have  been  allowed  so  to  do;  as  tho'  there  was 
no  real  difference  between  G.  Proctour  and  the  shape  of  G. 


1692]  THOMAS  BRATTLE,  LETTER  175 

Proctour.  This,  methinks,  may  readily  prove  a  stumbling 
block  to  the  Jury,  lead  them  into  a  very  fundamental  errour, 
and  occasion  innocent  blood,  yea  the  innocentest  blood  imag- 
inable, to  be  in  great  danger.  Whom  it  belongs  unto,  to  be 
eyes  unto  the  blind,  and  to  remove  such  stumbling  blocks,  I 
know  full  well;  and  yet  you,  and  every  one  else,  do  know  as 
well  as  I  who  do  not.1 

2.  The  confessours  do  declare  what  they  know  of  the  said 
prisoner;    and  some  of  the  confessours  are  allowed  to  give 
their  oaths;  a  thing  which  I  believe  was  never  heard  of  in  this 
world ;  that  such  as  conf esse  themselves  to  be  witches,  to  have 
renounced  God  and  Christ,  and  all  that  is  sacred,  should  yet 
be  allowed  and  ordered  to  swear  by  the  name  of  the  great 
God!    This  indeed  seemeth  to  me  to  be  a  grosse  taking  of 
God's  name  in  vain.    I  know  the  S.  G.  do  say,  that  there  is 
hopes  that  the  said  Confessours  have  repented;   I  shall  only 
say,  that  if  they  have  repented,  it  is  well  for  themselves;  but 
if  they  have  not,  it  is  very  ill  for  you  know  who.     But  then, 

3.  Whoever  can  be  an  evidence  against  the  prisoner  at  the 
bar  is  ordered  to  come  into  Court;    and  here  it  scarce  ever 
fails  but  that  evidences,  of  one  nature  and  another,  are  brought 
in,  tho',  I  think,  all  of  them  altogether  aliene  to  the  matter  of 
inditement;  for  they  none  of  them  do  respect  witchcraft  upon 
the  bodyes  of  the  afflicted,  which  is  the  alone  matter  of  charge 
in  the  inditement. 

4.  They  are  searched  by  a  Jury;  and  as  to  some  of  them, 
the  Jury  brought  in,  that  [on]  such  or  such  a  place  there  was  a 
preternatural  excrescence.    And  I  wronder  what  person  there 
is,  whether  man  or  woman,  of  whom  it  cannot  be  said  but  that, 
in  some  part  of  their  body  or  other,  there  is  a  preternatural 
excrescence.    The  term  is  a  very  general  and  inclusive  term. 

Some  of  the  S.  G.  are  very  forward  to  censure  and  con- 
demn the  poor  prisoner  at  the  bar,  because  he  sheds  no  tears : 
but  such  betray  great  ignorance  in  the  nature  of  passion,  and 
as  great  heedlessnesse  as  to  common  passages  of  a  man's  life. 
Some  there  are  who  never  shed  tears;  others  there  are  that 
ordinarily  shed  tears  upon  light  occasions,  and  yet  for  their 
lives  cannot  shed  a  tear  when  the  deepest  sorrow  is  upon  their 
hearts;  and  who  is  there  that  knows  not  these  things?  Who 

1  He  means,  of  course,  the  judges. 


176         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

knows  not  that  an  ecstasye  of  Joy  will  sometimes  fetch  teares, 
when  as  the  quite  contrary  passion  will  shutt  them  close  up? 
Why  then  should  any  be  so  silly  and  foolish  as  to  take  an 
argument  from  this  appearance?  But  this  is  by  the  by.  In 
short,  the  prisoner  at  the  bar  is  indited  for  sorcery  and  witch- 
craft acted  upon  the  bodyes  of  the  afflicted.  Now,  for  the 
proof  of  this,  I  reckon  that  the  only  pertinent  evidences 
brought  in  are  the  evidences  of  the  said  afflicted. 

It  is  true,  that  over  and  above  the  evidences  of  the  afflicted 
persons,  there  are  many  evidences  brought  in,  against  the  pris- 
oner at  the  bar;  either  that  he  was  at  a  witch  meeting,  or  that 
he  performed  things  which  could  not  be  done  by  an  ordinary 
natural  power;  or  that  she  sold  butter  to  a  saylor,  which  prov- 
ing bad  at  sea,  and  the  seamen  exclaiming  against  her,  she 
appeared,  and  soon  after  there  was  a  storm,  or  the  like.  But 
what  if  there  were  ten  thousand  evidences  of  this  nature;  how 
do  they  prove  the  matter  of  inditement!  And  if  they  do  not 
reach  the  matter  of  inditement,  then  I  think  it  is  clear,  that 
the  prisoner  at  the  bar  is  brought  in  guilty,  and  condemned, 
merely  from  the  evidences  of  the  afflicted  persons. 

The  S.  G.  will  by  no  means  allow,  that  any  are  brought  in 
guilty,  and  condemned,  by  virtue  of  spectre  Evidence,  (as  it 
is  called,)  i.  e.  the  evidence  of  these  afflicted  persons,  who  are 
said  to  have  spectral  eyes;  but  whether  it  is  not  purely  by 
virtue  .of  these  spectre  evidences,  that  these  persons  are  found 
guilty,  (considering  what  before  has  been  said,)  I  leave  you, 
and  any  man  of  sense,  to  judge  and  determine.  When  any 
man  is  indited  for  murthering  the  person  of  A.  B.  and  all  the 
direct  evidence  be,  that  the  said  man  pistolled  the  shadow  of 
the  said  A.  B.  tho'  there  be  never  so  many  evidences  that  the 
said  person  murthered  C.  D.,  E.  F.  and  ten  more  persons,  yet 
all  this  will  not  amount  to  a  legal  proof,  that  he  murthered 
A.  B. ;  and  upon  that  inditement,  the  person  cannot  be  legally 
brought  in  guilty  of  the  said  inditement;  it  must  be  upon  this 
supposition,  that  the  evidence  of  a  man's  pistolling  the  shadow 
of  A.  B.  is  a  legal  evidence  to  prove  that  the  said  man  did 
murther  the  person  of  A.  B.  Now  no  man  will  be  so  much 
out  of  his  witts  as  to  make  this  a  legal  evidence ;  and  yet  this 
seems  to  be  our  case;  and  how  to  apply  it  is  very  easy  and 
obvious. 


1892]  THOMAS  BRATTLE,  LETTER  177 

As  to  the  late  executions,1  I  shall  only  tell  you,  that  in 
the  opinion  of  many  unprejudiced,  considerate  and  consider- 
able spectatours,  some  of  the  condemned  went  out  of  the 
world  not  only  with  as  great  protestations,  but  also  with  as 
good  shews  of  innocency,  as  men  could  do. 

They  protested  their  innocency  as  in  the  presence  of  the 
great  God,  whom  forthwith  they  were  to  appear  before :  they 
wished,  and  declared  their  wish,  that  their  blood  might  be 
the  last  innocent  blood  shed  upon  that  account.  With  great 
affection2  they  intreated  Mr.  C.  M.3  to  pray  with  them :  they 
prayed  that  God  would  discover  what  witchcrafts  were  among 
us;  they  forgave  their  accusers;  they  spake  without  reflec- 
tion on  Jury  and  Judges,  for  bringing  them  in  guilty,  and  con- 
demning them :  they  prayed  earnestly  for  pardon  for  all  other 
sins,  and  for  an  interest  in  the  pretious  blood  of  our  dear 
Redeemer;  and  seemed  to  be  very  sincere,  upright,  and  sen- 
sible of  their  circumstances  on  all  accounts;  especially  Proctor 
and  Willard,  whose  whole  management  of  themselves,  from 
the  Goal  to  the  Gallows,  and  whilst  at  the  Gallows,  was  very 
affecting  and  melting  to  the  hearts  of  some  considerable  Spec- 
tatours, whom  I  could  mention  to  you : — but  they  are  executed, 
and  so  I  leave  them. 

Many  things  I  cannot  but  admire  and  wonder  at,  an  ac- 
count of  which  I  shall  here  send  you. 

And  1.  I  do  admire  that  some  particular  persons,  and 
particularly  Mrs.  Thatcher  of  Boston,4  should  be  much  com- 
plained of  by  the  afflicted  persons,  and  yet  that  the  Justices 
should  never  issue  out  their  warrants  to  apprehend  them, 

1  The  names  presently  mentioned  would  seem  to  show  that  he  has  especially 
in  mind  the  executions  of  August  19,  and  his  words  suggest  that  he  was  present 
on  this  occasion.     Those  then  executed,  besides  John  Proctor  and  John  Willard, 
were  the  Rev.  George  Burroughs,  George  Jacobs,  and  Martha  Carrier.     For 
two  other  accounts  of  their  death,  both  perhaps  by  eye-witnesses,  see  below, 
pp.  360-364.     But  there  had  been  execution's  also  on  June  10,  July  19,  and 
September  22. 

2  Emotion,  earnestness. 

3  Cotton  Mather. 

4  Mrs.  Margaret  Thacher  (1625-1694),  widow  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Thacher 
(d.  1678),  first  minister  of  the  Old  South  Church.     She  was  the  only  child  of  the 
wealthy  Boston  merchant  Henry  Webb,  and  had  been  left  by  a  first  marriage  the 
widow  of  Jacob  Sheafe,  then  the  richest  man  in  Boston. 


178         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

when  as  upon  the  same  account  they  issue  out  their  warrants 
for  the  apprehending  and  imprisoning  many  others. 

This  occasions  much  discourse  and  many  hot  words,  and 
is  a  very  great  scandal  and  stumbling  block  to  many  good 
people;  certainly  distributive  Justice  should  have  its  course, 
without  respect  to  persons;  and  altho'  the  said  Mrs.  Thatcher 
be  mother  in  law  to  Mr.  Corwin,1  who  is  one  of  the  Justices 
and  Judges,  yet  if  Justice  and  conscience  do  oblige  them  to 
apprehend  others  on  the  account  of  the  afflicted  their  com- 
plaints, I  cannot  see  how,  without  injustice  and  violence  to 
conscience,  Mrs.  Thatcher  can  escape,  when  it  is  well  known 
how  much  she  is,  and  has  been,  complained  of. 

2.  I  cannot  but  admire  that  Mr.  H.  U.2  (whom  we  all 
think  innocent,)  should  yet  be  apprehended  on  this  account, 
and  ordered  to  prison,  by  a  mittimus  under  Mr.  Lynd's3  his 
hand,  and  yet  that  he  should  be  suffered,  for  above  a  fortnight, 
to  be  in  a  private  house;   and  after  that,  to  quitt  the  house, 
the  town,  and  the  Province,  and  yet  that  authority  should 
not  take  effectual  notice  of  it.    Methinks  that  same  Justice, 
that  actually  imprisoned  others,  and  refused  bail  for  them  on 
any  terms,  should  not  be  satisfyed  without  actually  imprison- ) 
ing  Mr.  U.  and  refusing  bail  for  him,  when  his  case  is  known/ 
to  be  the  very  same  with  the  case  of  those  others. 

If  he  may  be  suffered  to  go  away,  why  may  not  others? 
If  others  may  not  be  suffered  to  go,  how  in  Justice  can  he  be 
allowed  herein? 

3.  If  our  Justices  do  think  that  Mrs.  C.4  Mr.  E.5  and  his 
wife,  Mr.  A.6  and  others,  were  capital  offenders,  and  justly 
imprisoned  on  a  capital  account,  I  do  admire  that  the  said 
Justices  should  hear  of  their  escape  from  prison,  and  where 
they  are  gone  and  entertained,  and  yet  not  send  forthwith 
to  the  said  places,7  for  the  surrendering  of  them,  that  Justice 
might  be  done  them.    In  other  Capitalls8  this  has  been  prac- 

1  Jonathan  Corwin,  of  Salem. 

1  Hezekiah  Usher  (1639-1697),  a  prominent  Boston  merchant. 
•Doubtless  Joseph    Lynde    (1637-1727),   of    Charlestown — since   June    a 
member  of  the  Council  under  the  new  Mather  charter. 

4  Mrs.  Nathaniel  Cary,  of  Charlestown.     See  pp.  349-352. 

§  Philip  English,  of  Salem.     See  p.  371  and  note  1. 

•John  Alden,  of  Boston.    See  p.  170,  note  2. 

1 1.  e.,  to  New  York.  *  /.  e.,  capital  cases. 


1692]  THOMAS  BRATTLE,  LETTER  179 

tised;  why  then  is  it  not  practised  in  this  case,  if  really  judged 
to  be  so  heinous  as  is  made  for? 

4.  I  cannot  but  admire,  that  any  snould  go  with  their  dis- 
tempered friends  and  relations  to  the  afflicted  children,  to 
know  what  their  distempered  friends  ayl;  whether  they  are 
not  bewitched;  who  it  is  that  afflicts  them,  and  the  like.  It 
is  true,  I  know  no  reason  why  these  afflicted  may  not  be  con- 
sulted as  well  as  any  other,  if  so  be  that  it  was  only  their 
natural  and  ordinary  knowledge  that  was  had  recourse  to: 
but  it  is  not  on  this  notion  that  these  afflicted  children  are 
sought  unto;  but  as  they  have  a  supernatural  knowledge;  a 
knowledge  which  they  obtain  by  their  holding  correspondence 
with  spectres  or  evill  spirits,  as  they  themselves  grant.  This 
consulting  of  these  afflicted  children,  as  abovesaid,  seems  to 
me  to  be  a  very  grosse  evill,  a  real  abomination,  not  fitt  to  be 
known  in  N.  E.1  and  yet  is  a  thing  practised,  not  only  by 
Tom  and  John — I  mean  the  ruder  and  more  ignorant  sort — 
but  by  many  who  professe  high,  and  passe  among  us  for  some 
of  the  better  sort.  This  is  that  which  aggravates  the  evil, 
and  makes  it  heinous  and  tremendous;  and  yet  this  is  not  the 
worst  of  it,  for,  as  sure  as  I  now  write  to  you,  even  some  of  our 
civil  leaders,  and  spiritual  teachers,  who,  (I  think,)  should 
punish  and  preach  down  such  sorcery  and  wickedness,  do 
yet  allow  of,  encourage,  yea,  and  practise  this  very  abomi- 
nation. 

I  know  there  are  several  worthy  Gentlemen  in  Salem,  who 
account  this  practise  as  an  abomination,  have  trembled  to 
see  the  methods  of  this  nature  which  others  have  used,  and 
have  declared  themselves  to  think  the  practise  to  be  very  evill 
and  corrupt;  but  all  avails  little  with  the  abettours  of  the 
said  practice. 

A  person  from  Boston,  of  no  small  note,  carried  up  his  child 
to  Salem,  (near  20  miles,)  on  purpose  that  he  might  consult 
the  afflicted  about  his  child;  which  accordingly  he  did;  and 
the  afflicted  told  him,  that  his  child  was  afflicted  by  Mrs. 
Gary  and  Mrs.  Obinson.2  The  man  returned  to  Boston,  and 
went  forthwith  to  the  Justices  for  a  warrant  to  seise  the  said 

1  New  England. 

2  Mrs.  Obinson  was  probably  the  wife  of  William  Obinson,  or  Obbinson,  a 
Boston  tanner. 


180         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

Obinson,  (the  said  Gary  being  out  of  the  way) ;  but  the  Boston 
Justices  saw  reason  to  deny  a  warrant.  The  Rev.  Mr.  I.  M.1 
of  Boston,  took  occasion  severely  to  reprove  the  said  man; 
asking  him  whether  there  was  not  a  God  in  Boston,  that  he 
should  go  to  the  Devill  in  Salem  for  advice;  warning  him  very 
seriously  against  such  naughty  practices;  which,  I  hope, 
proved  to  the  conviction  and  good  of  the  said  person;  if  not, 
his  blood  will  be  upon  his  own  head. 

This  consulting  of  these  afflicted  children,  about  their  sick, 
was  the  unhappy  begining  of  the  unhappy  troubles  at  poor 
Andover :  Horse  and  man  were  sent  up  to  Salem  Village,  from 
the  said  Andover,  for  some  of  the  said  afflicted ;  and  more  than 
one  or  two  of  them  were  carried  down  to  see  Ballard's  wife,2 
and  to  tell  who  it  was  that  did  afflict  her.  I  understand  that 
the  said  B.  took  advice  before  he  took  this  method;  but  what 
pity  was  it,  that  he  should  meet  with,  and  hearken  to  such 
bad  Counsellours?  Poor  Andover  does  now  rue  the  day  that 
ever  the  said  afflicted  went  among  them;  they  lament  their 
folly,  and  are  an  object  of  great  pity  and  commiseration. 
Capt.  B.3  and  Mr.  St.4  are  complained  of  by  the  afflicted, 
have  left  the  town,  and  do  abscond.  Deacon  Fry's  wife, 
Capt'n  Osgood's  wife,  and  some  others,  remarkably  pious  and 
good  people  in  repute,  are  apprehended  and  imprisoned;  and 
that  that  is  more  admirable,  the  forementioned  women  are 
become  a  kind  of  confessours,  being  first  brought  thereto  by 
the  urgings  and  arguings  of  their  good  husbands,  who,  having 
taken  up  that  corrupt  and  highly  pernicious  opinion,  that  who- 
ever were  accused  by  the  afflicted,  were  guilty,  did  break 
charity  with  their  dear  wives,  upon  their  being  accused,  and 
urge  them  to  confesse  their  guilt;  which  so  far  prevailed  with 
them  as  to  make  them  say,  they  were  afraid  of  their  being  in 
the  snare  of  the  Devill;  and  which,  through  the  rude  and  bar- 

1  Increase  Mather. 

1  Mrs.  Joseph  Ballard.  See  below,  pp.  371-372;  and,  for  more  as  to  this 
Andover  episode,  pp.  241-244,  418-420.  The  records  of  the  Andover  cases  are 
printed  by  Woodward  in  his  Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft  (Roxbury,  1864),  and 
there  are  chapters  on  the  episode  in  Abiel  Abbot's  History  of  Andover  (Andover, 
1829)  and  Sarah  Loring  Bailey's  Historical  Sketches  of  Andover  (Boston,  1880). 

1  Dudley  Bradstreet.    See  p.  372. 

4  Stevens?  The  conjecture  is  Mrs.  Bailey's  (Historical  Sketches  of  Andover, 
p.  228). 


1692]  THOMAS  BRATTLE,  LETTER  181 

barous  methods*  that  were  afterwards  used  at  Salem,  issued 
in  somewhat  plainer  degrees  of  confession,  and  was  attended 
with  imprisonment.  The  good  Deacon  and  Captain  are  now 
sensible  of  the  errour  they  were  in;  do  grieve  and  mourn  bit- 
terly, that  they  should  break  their  charity  with  their  wives, 
and  urge  them  to  confesse  themselves  witches.  They  now 
see  and  acknowledge  their  rashnesse  and  uncharitablenesse, 
and  are  very  fitt  objects  for  the  pity  and  prayers  of  every 
good  Christian.  Now  I  am  writing  concerning  Andover,  I 
cannot  omit  the  opportunity  of  sending  you  this  information; 
that  Whereas  there  is  a  report  spread  abroad  the  country,  how 
that  they  were  much  addicted  to  Sorcery  in  the  said  town, 
and  that  there  were  fourty  men  in  it  that  could  raise  the  Devill 
as  well  ag  any  astrologer,  and  the  like;  after  the  best  search 
that  I  can  make  into  it,  it  proves  a  mere  slander,  and  a  very 
unrighteous  imputation. 

The  Rev'd  Elders  of  the  said  place  were  much  surprized 
upon  their  hearing  of  the  said  Report,  and  faithfully  made  in- 
quiry about  it;  but  the  whole  of  naughtiness,  that  they  could 
discover  and  find  out,  was  only  this,  that  two  or  three  girls 
had  foolishly  made  use  of  the  sieve  and  scissors,2  as  children 
have  done  in  other  towns.  This  method  of  the  girls  I  do  not 
Justifye  in  any  measure;  but  yet  I  think  it  very  hard  and 
unreasonable,  that  a  town  should  lye  under  the  blemish  and 

*  You  may  possibly  think  that  my  terms  are  too  severe;  but  should  I 
tell  you  what  a  kind  of  Blade  was  employed  in  bringing  these  women  to  their 
confession;  what  methods  from  damnation  were  taken;  with  what  violence 
urged;  how  unseasonably  they  were  kept  up;  what  buzzings  and  chuckings  of 
the  hand  were  used,  and  the  like,  I  am  sure  that  you  would  call  them,  (as  I 
do),  rude  and  barbarous  methods.1  [Marginal  note  in  the  original.] 

1  What  Brattle  may  mean  by  "methods  from  damnation"  is  a  puzzle  to  the 
editor.     Perhaps  "damnation"  is  only  a  euphemism  for  "hell."    Possibly  he 
thinks  of  that  clause  in  the  Massachusetts  laws  (Body  of  Liberties  of  1641,  art.  45; 
Lawes  and  Libertyes,  1660,  p.  67;  1672,  p.  129)  which  permits  a  prisoner  "in  some 
capital  case,  when  he  is  first  fully  convicted  by  clear  and  sufficient  evidence  to 
be  guilty,"  to  be  tortured  for  the  discovery  of  his  accomplices,  yet  not  with  such 
tortures  as  are  barbarous  and  inhuman.     What  he  means  by  "buzzings  and  chuck- 
ings  of  the  hand,"  i.  e.,  whisperings  and  wheedlings,  will  grow  clear  if  one  turn 
to  pp.  374-376,  and  read  what  these  Andover  women  themselves  tell  of  the  methods 
used  with  them. 

2  A  mode  of  divination  much  in  vogue  in  New  England  as  in  Old.     Called 
also  "sieve  and  shears"  or  "riddle  and  shears" :  the  learned  name  is  coscinomancy. 


182         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

scandal  of  sorceryes  and  conjuration,  merely  for  the  inconsid- 
erate practices  of  two  or  three  girls  in  the  said  town. 

5.  I  cannot  but  admire  that  the  Justices,  whom  I  think  to 
be  well-meaning  men,  should  so  far  give  ear  to  the  Devill,  as 
merely  upon  his  authority  to  issue  out  their  warrants,  and 
apprehend  people.  Liberty  was  evermore  accounted  the  great 
priviledge  of  an  Englishman;  but  certainly,  if  the  Devill  will 
be  heard  against  us,  and  his  testimony  taken,  to  the  siezing 
and  apprehending  of  us,  our  liberty  vanishes,  and  we  are  fools 
if  we  boast  of  our  liberty.  Now,  that  the  Justices  have  thus 
far  given  ear  to  the  Devill,  I  think  may  be  mathematically 
demonstrated  to  any  man  of  common  sense:  And  for  the 
demonstration  and  proof  hereof,  I  desire,  only,  that  these  two 
things  may  be  duly  considered,  viz. 

1.  That  several  persons  have  been  apprehended  purely 
upon  the  complaints  of  these  afflicted,  to  whom  the  afflicted 
were  perfect  strangers,  and  had  not  the  least  knowledge  of 
imaginable,  before  they  were  apprehended. 

2.  That  the  afflicted  do  own  and  assert,  and  the  Justices 
do  grant,  that  the  Devill  does  inform  and  tell  the  afflicted  the 
names  of  those  persons  that  are  thus  unknown  unto  them. 
Now  these  two  things  being  duly  considered,  I  think  it  will 
appear  evident  to  any  one,  that  the  DevilTs  information  is 
the  fundamental  testimony  that  is  gone  upon  in  the  appre- 
hending of  the  aforesaid  people. 

If  I  believe  such  or  such  an  assertion  as  comes  immediately 
from  the  Minister  of  God  in  the  pulpitt,  because  it  is  the  word 
of  the  overliving  God,  I  build  my  faith  on  God's  testimony: 
and  if  I  practise  upon  it,  this  my  practice  is  properly  built  on 
the  word  of  God :  even  so  in  the  case  before  us, 

If  I  believe  the  afflicted  persons  as  informed  by  the  Devill, 
and  act  thereupon,  this  my  act  may  properly  be  said  to  be 
grounded  upon  the  testimony  or  information  of  the  Devill. 
And  now,  if  things  are  thus,  I  think  it  ought  to  be  for  a  lam- 
entation to  you  and  me,  and  all  such  as  would  be  accounted 
good  Christians. 

If  any  should  see  the  force  of  this  argument,  and  upon  it 
say,  (as  I  heard  a  wise  and  good  Judge  once  propose,)  that 
they  know  not  but  that  God  almighty,  or  a  good  spirit,  does 
give  this  information  to  these  afflicted  persons;  I  make  answer 


1692]  THOMAS  BRATTLE,  LETTER  183 

thereto,  and  say,  that  it  is  most  certain  that  it  is  neither 
almighty  God,  nor  yet  any  good  Spirit,  that  gives  this  informa- 
tion; and  my  Reason  is  good,  because  God  is  a  God  of  truth; 
and  the  good  Spirits  will  not  lye;  whereas  these  informations 
have  several  times  proved  false,  when  the  accused  were  brought 
before  the  afflicted. 

6.  I  cannot  but  admire  that  these  afflicted  persons  should 
be  so  much  countenanced  and  encouraged  in  their  accusations 
as  they  are:  I  often  think  of  the  Groton  woman,  that  was 
afflicted,  an  account  of  which  we  have  in  print,  and  is  a  most 
certain  truth,  not  to  be  doubted  of.1  I  shall  only  say,  that 
there  was  as  much  ground,  in  the  hour  of  it,  to  countenance 
the  said  Groton  woman,  and  to  apprehend  and  imprison,  on 
her  accusations,  as  there  is  now  to  countenance  these  afflicted 
persons,  and  to  apprehend  and  imprison  on  their  accusations. 
But  furthermore,  it  is  worthy  of  our  deepest  consideration, 
that  in  the  conclusion,  (after  multitudes  have  been  imprisoned, 
and  many  have  been  put  to  death,)  these  afflicted  persons 
should  own  that  all  was  a  mere  fancy  and  delusion  of  the 
DevilTs,  as  the  Groton  woman  did  own  and  acknowledge  with 
respect  to  herself;  if,  I  say,  in  after  times,  this  be  acknowledged 
by  them,  how  can  the  Justices,  Judges,  or  any  else  concerned 
in  these  matters,  look  back  upon  these  things  without  the 
greatest  of  sorrow  and  grief  imaginable?  I  confesse  to  you,  it 
makes  me  tremble  when  I  seriously  consider  of  this  thing.  I 
have  heard  that  the  chief  judge2  has  expressed  himself  very 
hardly  of  the  accused  woman  at  Groton,  as  tho'  he  believed 
her  to  be  a  witch  to  this  day;  but  by  such  as  knew  the  said 
woman,  this  is  judged  a  very  uncharitable  opinion  of  the 

1  "The  Groton  woman"  was  Elizabeth  Knapp,  and  the  "account  in  print" 
probably  that  of  Increase  Mather  reprinted  above,  pp.  21-23,  though  possibly 
Willard's  sermon  (see  p.  21,  note  4)  is  meant. 

2  William  Stoughton,  the  new  lieutenant-governor.     He  had  been  educated 
for  the  ministry  in  the  Harvard  class  of  1650,  and  went  to  England,  where  he 
preached  for  some  ten  years,  receiving  meanwhile  at  Oxford  his  mastership  in 
arts  and  the  honor  of  a  fellowship;   but,  ejected  at  the  Restoration,  he  returned 
to  New  England,  and  there,  though  counted  an  able  preacher,  declined  a  settle- 
ment and  drifted  into  public  life.     He  seems  to  have  set  store  by  his  learning 
in  theology,  and  to  the  end  to  have  maintained  the  Devil's  impotence  to  person- 
ate by  a  spectre  any  but  a  guilty  witch.     As  to  his  career  see  the  careful  study 
by  Sibley,  in  his  Harvard  Graduates  (I.  194-208). 


184         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

said  Judge,  and  I  do  not  understand  that  any  are  proselyted 
thereto. 

Rev'd  Sir,  these  things  I  cannot  but  admire  and  wonder 
at.  Now,  if  so  be  it  is  the  effect  of  my  dullness  that  I  thus 
admire,  I  hope  you  will  pity,  not  censure  me:  but  if,  on  the 
contrary,  these  things  are  just  matter  of  admiration,  I  know 
that  you  will  join  with  me  in  expressing  your  admiration 
hereat. 

The  chief  Judge  is  very  zealous  in  these  proceedings,  and 
says,  he  is  very  clear  as  to  all  that  hath  as  yet  been  acted  by 
this  Court,  and,  as  far  as  ever  I  could  perceive,  is  very  impa- 
tient in  hearing  any  thing  that  looks  another  way.  I  very 
highly  honour  and  reverence  the  wisdome  and  integrity  of  the 
said  Judge,  and  hope  that  this  matter  shall  not  diminish  my 
veneration  for  his  honour;  however,  I  cannot  but  say,  my  great 
fear  is,  that  wisdome  and  counsell  are  withheld  from  his  hon- 
our as  to  this  matter,  which  yet  I  look  upon  not  so  much  as  a 
Judgment  to  his  honour  as  to  this  poor  land. 

But  altho'  the  Chief  Judge,  and  some  of  the  other  Judges, 
be  very  zealous  in  these  proceedings,  yet  this  you  may  take 
for  a  truth,  that  there  are  several  about  the  Bay,  men  for 
understanding,  Judgment,  and  Piety,  inferiour  to  few,  (if  any,) 
in  N.  E.  that  do  utterly  condemn  the  said  proceedings,  and  do 
freely  deliver  their  Judgment  in  the  case  to  be  this,  viz.  that 
these  methods  will  utterly  ruine  and  undoe  poor  N.  E.  I 
shall  nominate  some  of  these  to  you,  viz.  The  hon'ble  Simon 
Bradstreet,  Esq.  (our  late  Governor);  the  hon'ble  Thomas 
Danforth,  Esq.  (our  late  Deputy  Governor);  the  Rev'd  Mr. 
Increase  Mather,  and  the  Rev'd  Mr.  Samuel  Willard.  Major 
N.  Saltonstall,  Esq.  who  was  one  of  the  Judges,  has  left  the 
Court,  and  is  very  much  dissatisfyed  with  the  proceedings  of 
it.  Excepting  Mr.  Hale,  Mr.  Noyes,  and  Mr.  Parris,  the 
Rev'd  Elders,  almost  throughout  the  whole  Country,  are  very 
much  dissatisfyed.  Several  of  the  late  Justices,  viz.  Thomas 
Graves,  Esq.  N.  Byfield,  Esq.  Francis  Foxcroft,  Esq.  are  much 
dissatisfyed;  also  several  of  the  present  Justices;  and  in  par- 
ticular, some  of  the  Boston  Justices,  were  resolved  rather  to 
throw  up  their  commissions  than  be  active  in  disturbing  the 
liberty  of  their  Majesties'  subjects,  merely  on  the  accusations 
of  these  afflicted,  possessed  children. 


1692]  THOMAS  BRATTLE,  LETTER  183 

Finally;  the  principal  Gentlemen  in  Boston,  and  there- 
about, are  generally  agreed  that  irregular  and  dangerous 
methods  have  been  taken  as  to  these  matters. 

Sir,  I  would  not  willingly  lead  you  into  any  errour,  and 
therefore  would  desire  you  to  note, 

1.  That  when  I  call  these  afflicted  "the  afflicted  children," 
I  would  not  be  understood  as  though  I  meant,  that  all  that 
are  afflicted  are  children:  there  are  several  young  men  and 
women  that  are  afflicted,  as  well  as  children:   but  this  term 
has  most  prevailed  among  us,  because  of  the  younger  sort  that 
were  first  afflicted,  and  therefore  I  make  use  of  it. 

2.  That  when  I  speak  of  the  Salem  Gentlemen,  I  would 
not  be  understood  as  tho'  I  meant  every  Individual  Gentle- 
man in  Salem;   nor  yet  as  tho'  I  meant,  that  there  were  no 
men  but  in  Salem  that  run  upon  these  notions :  some  term  they 
must  have,  and  this  seems  not  improper,  because  in  Salem  this 
sort  of  Gentlemen  does  most  abound. 

3.  That  other  Justices  in  the  Country,  besides  the  Salem 
Justices,  have  issued  out  their  warrants,  and  imprisoned,  on 
the  accusations  of  the  afflicted  as  aforesaid;    and  therefore, 
when  I  speak  of  the  Salem  Justices,  I  do  not  mean  them 
exclusively. 

4.  That  as  to  the  above  mentioned  Judges,  that  are  com- 
missionated  for  this  Court  at  Salem,  five  of  them  do  belong 
to  Suffolk  county;  four  of  which  five  do  belong  to  Boston;1  and 
therefore  I  see  no  reason  why  Boston  should  talk  of  Salem, 
as  tho'  their  own  Judges  had  had  no  hand  in  these  proceedings 
at  Salem. 

Nineteen  persons  have  now  been  executed,  and  one  pressed 
to  death  for  a  mute:  seven  more  are  condemned;  two  of 
which  are  reprieved,  because  they  pretend  their  being  with 
child;  one,  viz.  Mrs.  Bradbury  of  Salisbury,  from  the  inter- 
cession of  some  friends;  and  two  or  three  more,  because  they 
are  confessours.2 

The  Court  is  adjourned  to  the  first  Tuesday  in  November, 
then  to  be  kept  at  Salem;  between  this  and  then  will  be  [the] 

1  See  p.  355.     Richards,  Sargent,  Sewall,  Winthrop,  were  of  Boston;  Stough- 
ton  of  Dorchester,  close  by.     Only  Gedney  was  of  Salem,  till  Corwin  was  called 
in  to  replace  Saltonstall  (who  was  of  Haverhill). 

2  As  to  all  these  see  below,  pp.  360-374. 


186         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

great  assembly,1  and  this  matter  will  be  a  peculiar  matter  of 
their  agitation.  I  think  it  is  matter  of  earnest  supplication 
and  prayer  to  almighty  God,  that  he  would  afford  his  gracious 
presence  to  the  said  assembly,  and  direct  them  aright  in  this 
weighty  matter.  Our  hopes  are  here;  and  if,  at  this  Juncture, 
God  does  not  graciously  appear  for  us,  I  think  we  may  con- 
clude that  N.  E.  is  undone  and  undone. 

I  am  very  sensible,  that  it  is  irksome  and  disagreeable  to 
go  back,  when  a  man's  doing  so  is  an  implication  that  he  has 
been  walking  in  a  wrong  path :  however,  nothing  is  more  hon- 
ourable than,  upon  due  conviction,  to  retract  and  undo,  (so 
far  as  may  be,)  what  has  been  amiss  and  irregular. 

I  would  hope  that,  in  the  conclusion,  both  the  Judges  and 
Justices  will  see  and  acknowledge  that  such  were  then*  best 
friends  and  advisers  as  disswaded  from  the  methods  which  they 
have  taken,  tho'  hitherto  they  have  been  angry  with  them, 
and  apt  to  speak  very  hardly  of  them. 

I  cannot  but  highly  applaud,  and  think  it  our  duty  to  be 
very  thankfull,  for  the  endeavours  of  several  Elders,2  whose 
lips,  (I  think,)  should  preserve  knowledge,  and  whose  counsell 
should,  I  think,  have  been  more  regarded,  in  a  case  of  this 
nature,  than  as  yet  it  has  been:  in  particular,  I  cannot  but 
think  very  honourably  of  the  endeavours  of  a  Rev'd  person  in 
Boston,3  whose  good  affection  to  his  countrey  in  general, 

1  The  General  Court.  It  convened  on  October  12.  Its  attitude  as  to  the 
Salem  trials  is  thus  tersely  intimated  in  Judge  Sewall's  diary:  "Oct.  26,  1692. 
A  Bill  is  sent  in  about  calling  a  Fast  and  Convocation  of  Ministers,  that  [we]  may 
be  led  in  the  right  way  as  to  the  Witchcrafts.  The  season  and  manner  of  doing 
it,  is  such,  that  the  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  count  themselves  thereby  dis- 
missed. 29  Nos  and  33  yeas  to  the  Bill."  The  bill  itself  has  been  printed  (from 
the  Mass.  Archives,  XL  70)  by  G.  H.  Moore,  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  American 
Antiquarian  Society  (n.  s.,  II.  172);  and  that  those  of  Brattle's  mind  had  not 
relied  alone  on  prayer  to  influence  the  assembly  may  be  seen  by  the  petition 
printed  in  the  N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen.  Register,  XXVII.  55,  and  in  the  Proceedings 
of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society,  n.  s.,  V.  246  (see  also  Proceedings,  n.  s.,  II. 
171). 

'The  ministers,  now  practically  the  only  "elders." 

1  It  has  been  generally  assumed,  and  with  reason,  that  this  "Rev'd  person" 
was  the  Rev.  Samuel  Willard.  Three  of  the  judges  (Sargent,  Sewall,  and  Win- 
throp)  were  members  of  his  church  (the  Old  South),  and,  unless  one  suspect 
Brattle  of  intent  to  mislead,  ''spiritual  relation"  must  here  mean  a  pastor's. 
The  phrase  "good  affection  to  the  country"  suggests,  too,  one  who,  like  Willard, 


1692]  THOMAS  BRATTLE,   LETTER  187 

and  spiritual  relation  to  three  of  the  Judges  in  particular,  has 
made  him  very  solicitous  and  industrious  in  this  matter;  and 
I  am  fully  persuaded,  that  had  his  notions  and  proposals  been 
hearkened  to,  and  followed,  when  these  troubles  were  in  their 
birth,  in  an  ordinary  way,  they  would  never  have  grown  unto 
that  heigth  which  now  they  have.  He  has  as  yet  mett  with 
little  but  unkindness,  abuse,  and  reproach  from  many  men; 
but  I  trust  that,  in  after  times,  his  wisdome  and  service  will 
find  a  more  universal  acknowledgment;  and  if  not,  his  reward 
is  with  the  Lord. 

Two  or  three  things  I  should  have  hinted  to  you  before, 
but  they  slipped  my  thoughts  in  their  proper  place. 

Many  of  these  afflicted  persons,  who  have  scores  of  strange 
fitts  in  a  day,  yet  in  the  intervals  of  time  are  hale  and  hearty, 
robust  and  lusty,  as  tho'  nothing  had  afflicted  them.  (J.  Re- 
member that  when  the  chief  Judge  gave  the  first  Jury  their 
charge,  he  told  them,  that  they  were  not  to  mind  whether  the 
bodies  of  the  said  afflicted  were  really  pined  and  consumed,  as 
was  expressed  in  the  inditement ;  but  whether  the  said  afflicted 
did  not  suffer  from  the  accused  such  afflictions  as  naturally 

shared  Brattle's  political  views.     We  have  seen  already  (p.  23)  what  caution  in 

1671  he  used  in  the  case  of  Elizabeth  Knapp;  and,  if  the  "notions  and  proposals"  . 

meant  by  Brattle  are  now  lost,  we  have  from  his  pen  what  puts  his  position  in  ! 
1692  beyond  all  question — a  little  dialogue,  published  anonymously  while  the 
troubles  were  at  their  height,  which  with  fairness  and  courtesy,  but  with  striking 
clearness  and  boldness,  argues  against  the  iniquity  of  the  procedure.  Its  title 
runs :  Some  Miscellany  Observations  on  our  Present  Debates  respecting  Witchcrafts, 
in  a  Dialogue  between  S.  and  B.  By  P.  E.  and  J.  A.  Philadelphia,  Printed  by 
William  Bradford,  for  Hezekiah  Usher.  1692.  "S."  and  "B."  undoubtedly 
mean  Salem  and  Boston.  Philadelphia  and  Bradford  probably  had  as  little  to 
do  with  the  book  (the  type  is  not  Bradford's)  as  did  Hezekiah  Usher,  P.  E.  (Philip 
English),  or  J.  A.  (John  Alden),  three  notable  fugitives  from  Salem  justice. 
All  alike  were  merely  remote  enough  to  bear  in  safety  the  imputation  of  such  a 
book.  John  Alden  and  Hezekiah  Usher  were  members  of  Willard's  church;  and 
Philip  English  and  his  wife  he  visited  while  in  custody  at  Boston,  and  probably 
was  a  party  to  their  escape.  At  least  the  Rev.  William  Bentley,  of  Salem,  re- 
cording in  his  diary,  May  21,  1793,  what  their  great-granddaughter  Susanna 

Hathorne  had  told  him,  relates  that  Willard  and  Moodey  "visited  them  and  in- 
vited them  to  the  public  worship  on  the  day  before  they  were  to  return  to  Salem 
for  trial.  Their  text  was  that  they  that  are  persecuted  in  one  city,  let  them  flee 
to  another.  After  Meeting  the  Ministers  visited  them  at  the  Gaol,  and  asked 
them  whether  they  took  notice  of  the  discourse,  and  told  them  their  danger  and 
urged  them  to  escape  since  so  many  had  suffered.  Mr.  English  replied,  'God 


188         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

tended  to  their  being  pined  and  consumed,  wasted,  etc.  This, 
(said  he,)  is  a  pining  and  consuming  in  the  sense  of  the  law. 
I  add  noQ 

Furthermore:  These  afflicted  persons  do  say,  and  often 
have  declared  it,  that  they  can  see  Spectres  when  their  eyes 
are  shutt,  as  well  as  when  they  are  open.  This  one  thing  I 
evermore  accounted  as  very  observable,  and  that  which  might 
serve  as  a  good  key  to  unlock  the  nature  of  these  myste- 
rious troubles,  if  duly  improved  by  us.  LCan  they  see  Spectres 
when  their  eyes  are  shutt?  I  am  sure  they  lye,  at  least  speak 
falsely,  if  they  say  so;  for  the  thing,  in  nature,  is  an  utter  im- 
possibility. It  is  true,  they  may  strongly  fancye,  or  have 
things  represented  to  their  imagination,  when  their  eyes  are 
shutt;  and  I  think  this  is  all  which  ought  to  be  allowed  to 
these  blind,  nonsensical  girls;  and  if  our  officers  and  Courts 
have  apprehended,  imprisoned,  condemned,  and  executed  our 
guiltlesse  neighbours,  certainly  our  errour  is  great,  and  we  shall 
rue  it  in  the  conclusion.^!  There  are  two  or  three  other  things 
that  I  have  observed  irTand  by  these  afflicted  persons,  which 
make  me  strongly  suspect  that  the  Devill  imposes  upon  their 
brains,  and  deludes  their  fancye  and  imagination;  and  that 

will  not  permit  them  to  touch  me.'  Mrs.  English  said:  'Do  you  not  think  the 
sufferers  innocent?'  He  (Moody)  said  'Yes.'  She  then  added,  'Why  may  we 
not  suffer  also?'  The  Ministers  then  told  him  if  he  would  not  carry  his  wife 
away  they  would."  (Quoted  by  R.  D.  Paine,  in  his  Ships  and  Sailors  of  Old 
Salem,  from  Bentley's  privately  printed  diary,  which  seems  to  give  the  tale  in  a 
more  primitive  form  than  his  letter  to  Alden,  in  the  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.,  Collections, 
X.)  "It  ought  never  to  be  forgotten,"  said  Willard's  colleague,  Ebenezer  Pem- 
berton,  preaching  in  1707  his  funeral  sermon,  "with  what  Prudence,  Courage  and 
Zeal  he  appeared  for  the  Good  of  this  People  in  that  Dark  and  Mysterious  Season 
when  we  were  assaulted  from  the  Invisible  World.  And  how  singularly  Instru- 
mental he  was  in  discovering  the  Cheats  and  Delusions  of  Satan,  which  did 
threaten  to  stain  our  Land  with  Blood  and  to  deluge  it  with  all  manner  of  Woes." 
True,  Judge  Sewall,  mentioning  in  1696  (Diary,  I.  433)  Willard's  sermon  at  the 
day  of  public  prayer,  says  that  he  spake  smartly  "at  last"  about  the  Salem 
witchcraft;  but  "at  last"  here  means  "at  the  end,"  "as  the  peroration  of  his 
sermon."  It  is  clearly  Willard  whom  Cotton  Mather  has  especially  in  mind 
when  in  his  life  of  Phips  and  again  in  his  Magnolia  (bk.  II.,  p.  62)  he  sets 
forth  the  views  of  those  "who  from  the  beginning  were  very  much  dissatisfied 
with  these  proceedings,"  having  "already  known  of  one  at  the  Town  of  Groton" 
who  had  falsely  accused  a  neighbor.  The  strange  suggestion  of  W.  F.  Poole 
that  Brattle  here  means  Cotton  Mather  himself,  is  adequately  answered  by 
Upham,  in  his  Salem  Witchcraft  and  Cotton  Mather. 


1692]  THOMAS  BRATTLE,  LETTER  189 

the  DevilTs  book  (which  they  say  has  been  offered  them)  is  a 
mere  fancye  of  theirs,  and  no  reality:  That  the  witches' 
meeting,  the  Devill 's  Baptism,  and  mock  sacraments,  which 
they  oft  speak  of,  are  nothing  else  but  the  effect  of  their  fancye, 
depraved  and  deluded  by  the  Devill,  and  not  a  Reality  to  be 
regarded  or  minded  by  any  wise  man.  And  whereas  the  Con- 
fessours  have  owned  and  asserted  the  said  meetings,  the  said 
Baptism,  and  mock  Sacrament,  (which  the  S.  G.  and  some 
others,  make  much  account  of)  I  am  very  apt  to  think,  that, 
did  you  know  the  circumstances  of  the  said  Confessours,  you 
would  not  be  swayed  thereby,  any  otherwise  than  to  be  con- 
firmed, that  all  is  perfect  Devilism,  and  an  Hellish  design  to 
ruine  and  destroy  this  poor  land:  For  whereas  there  are  of 
the  said  Confessours  55  in  number,  some  of  them  are  known 
to  be  distracted,  crazed  women,  something  of  which  you  may 
see  by  a  petition  lately  offered  to  the  chief  Judge,  a  copy 
whereof  I  may  now  send  you;1  others  of  them  denyed  their 
guilt,  and  maintained  their  innocency  for  above  eighteen  hours, 
after  most  violent,  distracting,  and  draggooning2  methods  had 
been  used  with  them,  to  make  them  confesse.  Such  methods 
they  were,  that  more  than  one  of  the  said  confessours  did  since 
tell  many,  with  teares  in  their  eyes,  that  they  thought  their 
very  lives  would  have  gone  out  of  their  bodyes;  and  wished 
that  they  might  have  been  cast  into  the  lowest  dungeon, 
rather  than  be  tortured  with  such  repeated  buzzings  and  chuck- 
ings  and  unreasonable  urgings  as  they  were  treated  withal. 

They  soon  recanted  their  confessions,  acknowledging,  with 
sorrow  and  grief,  that  it  was  an  hour  of  great  temptation  with 
them;  and  I  am  very  apt  to  think,  that  as  for  five  or  six  of  the 
said  confessours,  if  they  are  not  very  good  Christian  women, 
it  will  be  no  easy  matter  to  find  so  many  good  Christian 
women  in  N.  E.  But,  finally,  as  to  about  thirty  of  these  fifty- 
five  Confessours,  they  are  possessed  (I  reckon)  with  the  Devill, 
and  afflicted  as  the  children  are,  and  therefore  not  fitt  to  be 
regarded  as  to  any  thing  they  say  of  themselves  or  others. 
And  whereas  the  S.  G.  do  say  that  these  confessours  made 

1  The  paper  meant  is  doubtless  that  printed  at  pp.  374-375,  below. 

2  The  attempt  of  Louis  XIV.  to  force  his  Protestant  subjects  to  abandon 
their  faith  by  turning  loose  his  dragoons  upon  them  had  already  furnished  the 
English  language  with  this  new  word. 


190         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

their  Confessions  before  they  were  afflicted,  it  is  absolutely 
contrary  to  universal  experience,  as  far  as  ever  I  could  under- 
stand. It  is  true,  that  some  of  these  have  made  their  con- 
fession before  they  had  their  falling,  tumbling  fitts,  but  yet 
not  absolutely  before  they  had  any  fitts  and  marks  of  posses- 
sion, for  (as  the  S.  G.  know  full  well)  when  these  persons  were 
about  first  confessing,  their  mouths  would  be  stopped,  and 
their  throats  affected,  as  tho'  there  was  danger  of  strangling, 
and  afterward  (it  is  true)  came  their  tumbling  fitts.  So  that, 
I  say,  the  confessions  of  these  persons  were  in  the  beginning  of 
their  fitts,  and  not  truly  before  their  fitts,  as  the  S.  G.  would 
make  us  believe. 

Thus,  (Sir,)  I  have  given  you  as  full  a  narrative  of  these 
matters  as  readily  occurs  to  my  mind,  and  I  think  every  word 
of  it  is  matter  of  fact;  the  several  glosses  and  descants  where- 
upon, by  way  of  Reasoning,  I  refer  to  your  Judgment,  whether 
to  approve  or  disapprove. 

What  will  be  the  issue  of  these  troubles,  God  only  knows; 
I  am  afraid  that  ages  will  not  wear  off  that  reproach  and  those 
stains  which  these  things  will  leave  behind  them  upon  our 
land.  I  pray  God  pity  us,  Humble  us,  Forgive  us,  and  ap- 
pear mercifully  for  us  in  this  our  mount  of  distress :  Herewith 
I  conclude,  and  subscribe  myself, 

Reverend  Sir,  your  real  friend  and  humble  servant, 

T.  B. 


LETTERS  OF  GOVERNOR  PHIPS  TO  THE  HOME 
GOVERNMENT,  1692-1693 


INTRODUCTION 

SIR  WILLIAM  PHIPS,  who  arrived  in  May  as  the  royal  | 
governor  under  the  new  charter,  was  no  stranger  to  New  En-  I 
gland.  Born  in  1651  at  a  hamlet  on  the  Maine  coast,  just  be-  » 
yond  the  Kennebec,  where  his  father,  a  Bristol  gunsmith,  had 
become  a  settler,  he  had  early  turned  from  sheep-herding  to 
ship-carpentry,  and  then  coming  up  to  Boston,  where  at 
twenty-two  he  first  learned  to  read  and  write,  he  had  by  thrift 
become  the  master  of  a  vessel  and  had  found  a  path  to  fortune 
in  the  rescue  of  lost  treasure  from  Spanish  galleons  sunken  in 
West  Indian  waters.  These  ventures  had  brought  him  into 
partnership  with  some  of  the  most  powerful  of  English  nobles, 
and  even  with  royalty  itself,  and  his  sturdy  honesty  (or  per- 
haps a  wise  use  of  his  wealth)  won  him  from  the  King  in  1687 
the  honor  of  knighthood  and  in  1688  appointment  as  high 
sheriff  of  New  England.  The  hostility  of  Governor  Andros 
brought  the  sheriff  ship  to  nothing;  but  the  English  revolution 
overturned  Andros  in  1689,  and  the  emancipated  colonies  made 
Sir  William  head  of  the  expedition  that  conquered  Nova  Sco- 
tia, and  then  sent  him  with  another  against  Quebec.  Mean- 
while President  Increase  Mather  was  laboring  in  England,  as 
the  agent  of  Massachusetts,  for  the  restoration  of  the  ancient 
charter;  and  when  Sir  William  (who  during  his  absence  had, 
as  his  son's  convert,  become  a  member  of  his  church)  turned 
up  there  too,  and  just  in  time  to  support  him  against  the  other 
New  England  commissioners  in  accepting  from  the  King  what 
'  could  be  got,  though  not  what  could  be  wished,  he  was  the 
natural  nominee  for  the  new  governorship. 

But  the  new  governor  was  little  trained  for  such  an  emer- 

193 


194          NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

gency  as  awaited  him  in  New  England.  What  more  natural 
in  such  a  crisis,  which  to  the  thought  of  that  day  seemed  to 
need  the  divine  more  than  the  statesman,  than  to  turn  for 
counsel  to  his  pastor  and  patron,  or  to  his  colleague  the  new 
lieutenant-governor,1  who  had  enjoyed  precisely  that  training 
in  theology  which  seemed  now  his  own  chief  lack?  Stoughton 
was  made  chief  justice  of  a  special  court  created  by  the  gov- 
ernor to  try  the  witch-cases,2  and  during  the  latter's  repeated 
absences3  at  the  frontier  became  the  acting  governor.  The 
ministers  of  Boston  were  "  consulted  by  his  Excellency  and  the 
Honourable  Council"  as  to  the  conduct  of  the  trials.  Their 
"Return,"  bearing  date  of  June  15,  was  drawn  by  Cotton 
Mather;4  and  it  was  perhaps  now  that  that  divine,  who  had 
early  (May  31)  furnished  the  judges  a  body  of  instructions,5 
was  inspired  by  "the  Direction  of  His  Excellency  the  Gov- 
ernor"6 to  undertake  that  "Account  of  the  Sufferings  brought 

1  William  Stoughton  (see  above,  p.  183  and  note  2)  was  of  course  also  a 
nominee  of  Mather's.  He  had  not  been  forward  in  the  revolution  which  over- 
threw the  Andros  government,  but  he  had  rallied  to  it,  and  Cotton  Mather  had 
written  his  father  wishing  he  might  "do  anything  to  restore  him  to  the  favor  of 
the  country." 

1  In  the  last  week  of  May,  at  his  first  meetings  with  the  new  Council.  The 
court  began  its  sessions  at  Salem  on  June  2. 

1  He  was  present  in  Boston  at  meetings  of  the  Council  on  June  13,  18, 
July  4,  8,  15,  18,  21,  22,  25,  26,  September  5,  12,  16,  and  again  on  October  14 
(Moore,  in  American  Antiquarian  Society,  Proceedings,  n.  s.,  V.  251  note). 
Sewall  on  September  29  notes  in  his  diary:  "Governor  comes  to  Town." 

4  A  summary  of  it  may  be  found  on  pp.  356-357,  below;  the  full  text  is  ap- 
pended to  Increase  Mather's  Cases  of  Conscience  (1693)  and  has  been  often  re- 
printed, both  with  that  work  and  in  later  books.  It  is  Cotton  Mather  himself 
(in  his  life  of  Phips)  who  tells  us  that  he  drafted  it. 

6  In  his  letter  of  May  31  to  his  parishioner  John  Richards,  a  member  of  the 
court  (Mather  Papers,  pp.  391-397).  It  is  endorsed — with  reason — "Mr  Cotton 
Mather,  an  Essay  concerning  Witchcraft";  for  an  essay  it  really  is.  A  supple- 
ment, and  an  interesting  one,  is  his  letter  of  August  17  to  John  Foster,  a  member 
of  the  Council  (printed  by  Upham  in  his  Salem  Witchcraft  and  Cotton  Mather. 
pp.  39-40). 

•  It  has  been  questioned  (by  Upham  and  again  by  G.  H.  Moore)  whether 
"the  Governor"  whose  "commands"  Mather  alleges  (see  p.  206)  may  not 
be  Stoughton  instead  of  Phips;  but  his  discrimination  between  the  two  is  too 
clear  and  too  constant  to  admit  the  suspicion,  and  still  less  can  Stoughton  and 


INTRODUCTION  195 

upon  the  Countrey  by  Witchcraft,"  which  was  ready  for  sub- 
mission to  Sir  William  on  his  return  from  the  east  in  early 
October,  and  with  which,  under  its  title  of  The  Wonders  of  the 
Invisible  World,  we  must  soon  make  acquaintance.  The  open- 
ing clauses  of  the  governor's  letter  show  plainly  the  influence 
of  that  book;1  and  the  change  in  tone  between  its  earlier  and 
its  later  portion,  and  yet  more  between  the  letter  of  October 
and  that  of  February,  is  not  the  least  interesting  feature  of 
these  documents.2 

Sewall  (see  pp.  251,  378)  have  been  inexact.  A  doubt  as  to  who  consulted  the 
clergy  must  be  similarly  answered.  Yet  Stoughton  may  well  have  been  behind 
both  acts. 

1  His  phrases  are  taken  almost  bodily  from  the  book  (see,  in  Drake's  edition, 
pp.  102-109,  not  here  reprinted);    and  his  statement  as  to  the  methods  of  the 
court  echoes  Mather's.     It  has  been  suggested  (by  Moore)  that  Mather  himself 
drafted  the  letter;   but  neither  the  style  nor  the  matter  of  its  later  portion  can 
be  his. 

2  Cotton  Mather,  in  his  life  of  Phips,  names  as  one  of  the  causes  of  the  gov- 
ernor's changing  attitude,  the  reply  of  "the  Dutch  and  French  Ministers  of  the 
Province  of  New  York,"  who  had  "their  Judgement  asked  by  the  Chief  Judge  of 
that  Province" — the  Massachusetts  Tory,  Joseph  Dudley.     These  questions 
(now  printed  with  the  answers  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.,  second 
series,  I,  348-358)  throw  a  vivid  light  on  the  problems  then  agitating  the  public 
mind.     They  are  dated  at  New  York  on  October  5,  and  the  answers,  dated  Oc- 
tober 11,  cannot  have  reached  Boston  before  the  middle  of  that  month.     More 
distinctly  than  the  Boston  clergy  they  reject  "spectral  evidence."     According  to 
the  Anglican  rector  at  New  York,  John  Miller  (commenting  on  Mather's  state- 
ment as  borrowed  by  the  geographer  Hermann  Moll),  "the  advice  of  the  estab- 
lished English  Minister  was  also  asked  and  generously  given";   "but,"  he  adds, 
"they  were  not  so  civill  as  to  thank  him  for  it,  nor  do  they  here  acknowledge  it, 
although  it  was  much  to  their  purpose,  and  stood  them  in  good  stead."     It  may 
be  found,  however,  written  out  by  his  own  hand  in  his  copy  of  Moll's  Atlas  (now 
in  the  New  York  Public  Library);   and  it  is  summarized  at  pp.  274-276  of  the 
New  York  Historical  Society's  Collections  for  1869  and  in  the  edition  of  Miller's 
New  York  considered  (1695)  by  Mr.  Paltsits  (1903),  to  whom  the  editor  owes 
suggestion  of  the  matter.     Miller's  answers  are,  indeed,  somewhat  less  credulous 
than  those  of  his  Calvinist  colleagues;  but  (as  appears  from  a  "Memorandum" 
of  his  own)  it  is  by  no  means  certain  that  they  reached  New  England. 


LETTERS  OF  GOVERNOR  PHI  PS 

WHEN  I  first  arrived  I  found  this  Province  miserably  har- 
rassed  with  a  most  Horrible  witchcraft  or  Possession  of  Devills 
which  had  broke  in  upon  severall  Townes,  some  scores  of  poor 
people  were  taken  with  preternaturall  torments  some  scalded 
with  brimstone  some  had  pins  stuck  in  their  flesh  others  hur-. 
ried  into  the  fire  and  water  and  some  dragged  out  of  their 
houses  and  carried  over  the  tops  of  trees  and  hills  for  many 
Miles  together;  it  hath  been  represented  to  mee  much  like 
that  of  Sweden  about  thirty  years  agoe,1  and  there  were  many 
committed  to  prison  upon  suspicion  of  Witchcraft  before  my 
arrivall.  The  loud  cries  and  clamours  of  the  friends  of  the 
afflicted  people  with  the  advice  of  the  Deputy  Governor  and 
many  others  prevailed  with  mee  to  give  a  Commission  of  Oyer 
and  Terminer  for  discovering  what  witchcraft  might  be  at 
the  bottome  or  whether  it  were  not  a  possession.  The  chief 
Judge  in  this  Commission  was  the  Deputy  Governour  and  the 
rest  were  persons  of  the  best  prudence  and  figure  that  could 
then  be  pitched  upon.  When  the  Court  came  to  sitt  at  Salem 
in  the  County  of  Essex  they  convicted  more  than  twenty  per- 
sons of  being  guilty  of  witchcraft,  some  of  .the  convicted  were 
such  as  confessed  their  Guilt,  the  Court  as  I  understand  began 
their  proceedings  with  the  accusations  of  the  afflicted  and  then 
went  upon  other  humane2  evidences  to  strengthen  that.  I  was 
almost  the  whole  time  of  the  proceeding  abroad  in  the  service 
of  Their  Majesties  in  the  Eastern  part  of  the  Country  and  de- 
pended upon  the  Judgement  of  the  Court  as  to  a  right  method 
of  proceeding  in  cases  of  Witchcraft  but  when  I  came  home  I 
found  many  persons  in  a  strange  ferment  of  dissatisfaction  which 
was  increased  by  some  hott  Spiritts  that  blew  up  the  flame,3  but 

1  The  famous  case  at  Mohra  in  1669-1670.  Cotton  Mather  had  appended 
to  his  Wonders  an  account  of  it.  .  'Human. 

8  He  thinks  perhaps  of  the  Baptist  preacher,  William  Milborne,  one  of  the 
leaders  in  the  later  revolution,  who  on  June  25  was  called  before  the  Council 

196 


1692]  GOVERNOR  PHIPS,  LETTERS  197 

on  enquiring  into  the  matter  I  found  that  the  Devill  had  taken 
upon  him  the  name  and  shape  of  severall  persons  who  were 
doubtless  inocent  and  to  my  certain  knowledge  of  good  reputa- 
tion for  which  cause  I  have  now  forbidden  the  committing  of 
any  more  that  shall  be  accused  without  unavoydable  necessity, 
and  those  that  have  been  committed  I  would  shelter  from  any 
Proceedings  against  them  wherein  there  may  be  the  least 
suspition  of  any  wrong  to  be  done  unto  the  Innocent.  I  would 
also  wait  for  any  particular  directions  or  commands  if  their 
Majesties  please  to  give  mee  any  for  the  fuller  ordering  this 
perplexed  affair.  I  have  also  put  a  stop  to  the  printing  of  any 
discourses  one  way  or  other,  that  may  increase  the  needless 
disputes  of  people  upon  this  occasion,  because  I  saw  a  likely- 
hood  of  kindling  an  inextinguishable  flame  if  I  should  admitt 
any  publique  and  open  Contests  and  I  have  grieved  to  see  that 
some  who  should  have  done  their  Majesties  and  this  Province 
better  service  have  so  far  taken  Councill  of  Passion  as  to  desire 
the  precipitancy  of  these  matters,  these  things  have  been  im- 
proved by  some  to  give  me  many  interuptions  in  their  Majes- 
ties service  and  in  truth  none  of  my  vexations  have  been 
greater  than  this,  than  that  their  Majesties  service  has  been 
hereby  unhappily  clogged,  and  the  Persons  who  have  made 
soe  ill  improvement  of  these  matters  here  are  seeking  to  turne 
it  all  upon  mee,1  but  I  hereby  declare  that  as  soon  as  I  came  from 
righting  against  their  Majesties  Enemyes  and  understood  what 
danger  some  of  their  innocent  subjects  might  be  exposed  to, 
if  the  evidence  of  the  afflicted  persons  only  did  prevaile 
either  to  the  committing  or  trying  any  of  them,  I  did  before 

because  of  two  papers  subscribed  by  him  and  several  others,  "containing  very 
high  reflections  upon  the  administration  of  public  justice  within  this  their 
Majesty's  Province"  (Moore,  Notes  on  Witchcraft,  p.  12;  Final  Notes,  p.  72). 
What  seems  one  of  these  papers,  addressed  "to  the  Grave  and  Juditious  the  Gen- 
erall  Assembly  of  the  Province,"  has  been  found  (see  it  in  N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen. 
Register,  XXVII.  55,  and  reprinted  by  Moore  in  American  Antiquarian  Society, 
Proceedings,  n.  s.,  V.  246)  and  proves  a  protest  against  the  conviction  "upon 
bare  specter  testimonie"  of  "persons  of  good  fame  and  of  unspotted  reputa- 
tion." It  must  have  been  in  circulation  before  the  detection  of  its  author,  and 
was  very  possibly  the  reason  for  the  consultation  of  the  clergy. 

1  It  must  be  remembered  that  the  new  charter,  by  opening  the  suffrage  to 
those  who  were  not  church  members,  had  greatly  strengthened  the  party  opposed 
to  the  theocracy — and  to  the  theocracy's  governor.  More  than  once  it  has  been 
said,  too,  that  the  Salem  witchcraft  was  the  rock  on  which  the  theocracy  shattered. 


198         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

any  application  was  made  unto  me  about  it  put  a  stop  to  the 
proceedings  of  the  Court  and  they  are  now  stopt  till  their 
Majesties  pleasure  be  known.  Sir  I  beg  pardon  for  giving  you 
all  this  trouble,  the  reason  is  because  I  know  my  enemies  are 
seeking  to  turn  it  all  upon  me  and  I  take  this  liberty  because 
I  depend  upon  your  friendship,  and  desire  you  will  please  to 
give  a  true  understanding  of  the  matter  if  any  thing  of  this 
kind  be  urged  or  made  use  of  against  mee.  Because  the  just- 
nesse  of  my  proceeding  herein  will  bee  a  sufficient  defence.  Sir 
I  am  with  all  imaginable  respect 

Your  most  humble  Servt 

WILLIAM  PHIPS. 

Dated  at  Boston 

the  12th  of  October  1692.1 

Mem'dm 

That  my  Lord  President  be  pleased  to  acquaint  his  Ma'ty 
in  Councill  with  the  account  received  from  New  England  from 
Sir  Wm.  Phips  the  Governor  there  touching  Proceedings  against 
severall  persons  for  Witchcraft  as  appears  by  the  Governor's 
letter  concerning  those  matters. 


BOSTON  in  New  England  Febry  21st,  169S. 

May  it  please  yor.  Lordshp. 

BY  the  Capn.  of  the  Samuell  and  Henry  I  gave  an  account 
that  att  my  arrivall  here  I  found  the  Prisons  full  of  people 

1  This  letter,  with  its  memorandum,  has  been  printed  in  the  Essex  Institute 
Historical  Collections,  IX.  86-88,  from  a  copy  made  in  the  British  archives  ("Co- 
lonial Entry  Book,  vol.  62,  p.  414,"  now  C.  O.  5:  905,  p.  414).  It  has  since 
been  printed  also  in  the  Calendar  of  State  Papers,  Colonial,  1689-1692  (no.  2551, 
p.  720),  which  uses  not  only  this  MS.  (mistakenly  called  "an  extract")  but 
another  ("Board  of  Trade,  New  England,  6,  no.  7,"  now  C.  O.  5:  857,  no.  7); 
but  the  editor  has  corrected  and  paraphrased.  The  last-named  MS.  (C.  O. 
5  :  857,  no.  7)  is,  however,  the  original  letter;  and  the  present  impression  has 
been  carefully  collated  with  it  at  London,  many  corrections  resulting.  October 
14,  in  the  Essex  Institute's  reprint,  is  only  a  printer's  error  for  October  12. 
The  letter  was  addressed  to  William  Blathwayt,  clerk  of  the  Privy  Council,  and 
it  is  he  who  added  the  memorandum  (to  the  Entry  Book  copy). 


1692]  GOVERNOR  PHIPS,  LETTERS  199 

committed  upon  suspition  of  witchcraft  and  that  continuall 
complaints  were  made  to  me  that  many  persons  were  grievously 
tormented  by  witches  and  that  they  cryed  out  upon  severall 
persons  by  name,  as  the  cause  of  their  torments.  The  number 
of  these  complaints  increasing  every  day,  by  advice  of  the 
Lieut  Govr.  and  the  Councill  I  gave  a  Commission  of  Oyer 
and  Terminer  to  try  the  suspected  witches  and  at  that  time 
the  generality  of  the  People  represented  the  matter  to  me  as 
reall  witchcraft  and  gave  very  strange  instances  of  the  same. 
The  first  in  Commission  was  the  Lieut.  Govr.  and  the  rest  per- 
sons of  the  best  prudence  and  figure  that  could  then  be  pitched 
upon  and  I  depended  upon  the  Court  for  a  right  method  of 
proceeding  in  cases  of  witchcraft.  At  that  time  I  went  to 
command  the  army  at  the  Eastern  part  of  the  Province,  for 
the  French  and  Indians  had  made  an  attack  upon  some  of  our 
Fronteer  Towns.  I  continued  there  for  some  time  but  when 
I  returned  I  found  people  much  disatisfied  at  the  proceedings 
of  the  Court,  for  about  Twenty  persons  were  condemned  and 
executed  of  which  number  some  were  thought  by  many  per- 
sons to  be  innocent.  The  Court  still  proceeded  in  the  same 
method  of  trying  them,  which  was  by  the  evidence  of  the 
afflicted  persons  who  when  they  were  brought  into  the  Court 
as  soon  as  the  suspected  witches  looked  upon  them  instantly 
fell  to  the  ground  in  strange  agonies  and  grievous  torments, 
but  when  touched  by  them  upon  the  arme  or  some  other  part 
of  their  flesh  they  immediately  revived  and  came  to  themselves, 
upon  [which]  they  made  oath  that  the  Prisoner  at  the  Bar  did 
afflict  them  and  that  they  saw  their  shape  or  spectre  come  from 
their  bodies  which  put  them  to  such  paines  and  torments: 
When  I  enquired  into  the  matter  I  was  enformed  by  the 
Judges  that  they  begun  with  this,  but  had  humane  testimony 
against  such  as  were  condemned  and  undoubted  proof  of  their 
being  witches,  but  at  length  I  found  that  the  Devill  did  take 
upon  him  the  shape  of  Innocent  persons  and  some  were  accused 
of  whose  innocency  I  was  well  assured  and  many  considerable 
persons  of  unblameable  life  and  conversation  were  cried  out 
upon  as  witches  and  wizards.  The  Deputy  Govr.  notwith- 
standing persisted  vigorously  in  the  same  method,  to  the  great 
disatisfaction  and  disturbance  of  the  people,  untill  I  put  an 


200         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

end  to  the  Court  and  stopped  the  proceedings,  which  I  did 
because  I  saw  many  innocent  persons  might  otherwise  perish 
and  at  that  time  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  give  an  account 
thereof  that  their  Ma'ties  pleasure  might  be  signifyed,  hoping 
that  for  the  better  ordering  thereof  the  Judges  learned  in  the 
law  in  England  might  give  such  rules  and  directions  as  have 
been  practized  in  England  for  proceedings  in  so  difficult  and 
so  nice  a  point;  When  I  put  an  end  to  the  Court1  there  were 
at  least  fifty  persons  in  prison  in  great  misery  by  reason  of 
the  extream  cold  and  their  poverty,  most  of  them  having  only 
spectre  evidence  against  them,  and  their  mittimusses  being 
defective,  I  caused  some  of  them  to  be  lett  out  upon  bayle 
and  put  the  Judges  upon  considering  of  a  way  to  reliefe  others 
and  prevent  them  from  perishing  in  prison,  upon  which  some 
of  them  were  convinced  and  acknowledged  that  their  former 
proceedings  were  too  violent  and  not  grounded  upon  a  right 
foundation  but  that  if  they  might  sit  againe,  they  would  pro- 
ceed after  another  method,  and  whereas  Mr.  Increase  Mathew2 
and  severall  other  Divines  did  give  it  as  their  Judgment  that 
the  Devill  might  afflict  in  the  shape  of  an  innocent  person  and 
that  the  look  and  the  touch  of  the  suspected  persons  was  not 
sufficient  proofe  against  them,  these  things  had  not  the  same 
stress  layd  upon  them  as  before,  and  upon  this  consideration 
I  permitted  a  spetiall  Superior  Court3  to  be  held  at  Salem 

1  It  was  on  October  29,  three  days  after  the  passage  by  the  General  Court 
of  the  bill  calling  for  a  fast  and  a  convocation  of  ministers  for  guidance  "as  to  the 
witchcrafts,"  and,  as  Judge  Sewall  tells  us  (see  p.  186,  note  1,  above)  in  such  "season 
and  manner"  that  "the  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  count  themselves  thereby 
dismissed,"  that  in  the  Council,  when  "Mr.  Russel  asked  whether  the  Court  of 
Oyer  and  Terminer  should  sit,  expressing  some  fear  of  Inconvenience  by  its  fall," 
the  "Governour  said  it  must  fall."  (SewalTs  Diary,  I.  368.) 

1  Mather.  Undoubtedly  an  error  of  the  English  copyist.  The  advice  meant 
was  that  of  the  twelve  ministers  of  Boston  and  vicinity  on  June  15.  See  intro- 
duction. 

1  The  Superior  Court  was  created  by  act  of  the  General  Court  of  the  prov- 
ince— of  course  with  the  concurrence  of  the  governor — on  November  25,  1692; 
but  its  session  at  Salem  would,  under  the  law,  have  come  in  the  next  November, 
and  a  supplementary  act  was  passed  on  December  16,  providing,  "upon  con- 
sideration that  many  persons  charged  capital  offenders  are  now  in  custody 
within  the  county  of  Essex,"  for  a  court  of  assize  and  general  jail  delivery  there 
on  January  3. 


1G93]  GOVERNOR  PHIPS,  LETTERS  201 

in  the  County  of  Essex  on  the  third  day  of  January,  the  Lieut 
Govr.  being  Chief  Judge.  Their  method  of  proceeding  being 
altered,  all  that  were  brought  to  tryall  to  the  number  of  fifety 
two,  were  cleared  saving  three,  and  I  was  enformed  by  the 
Kings  Attorny  Generall  that  some  of  the  cleared  and  the  con- 
demned were  under  the  same  circumstances  or  that  there  was 
the  same  reason  to  clear  the  three  condemned  as  the  rest 
according  to  his  Judgment.  The  Deputy  Govr.  signed  a  War- 
rant for  their  speedy  execucion  and  also  of  five  others  who 
were  condemned  at  the  former  Court  of  Oyer  and  terminer, 
but  considering  how  the  matter  had  been  managed  I  sent  a 
reprieve  whereby  the  execucion  was  stopped  untill  their  Maj. 
pleasure  be  signified  and  declared.  The  Lieut.  Gov.  upon  this 
occasion  was  inraged  and  filled  with  passionate  anger  and  re- 
fused to  sitt  upon  the  bench  in  a  Superior  Court  then  held  at 
Charles  Towne,1  and  indeed  hath  from  the  beginning  hurried 
on  these  matters  with  great  precipitancy  and  by  his  warrant 
hath  caused  the  estates,  goods  and  chatties  of  the  executed  to 
be  seized  and  disposed  of  without  my  knowledge  or  consent. 
The  stop  put  to  the  first  method  of  proceedings  hath  dissipated 
the  blak  cloud  that  threatened  this  Province  with  destruccion ; 
for  whereas  this  delusion  of  the  Devill  did  spread  and  its  dis- 
mal! effects  touched  the  lives  and  estates  of  many  of  their 
Ma' ties  Subjects  and  the  reputacion  of  some  of  the  principal! 
persons  here,2  and  indeed  unhappily  clogged  and  interrupted 
their  Ma'ties  affaires  which  hath  been  a  great  vexation  to  me, 
I  have  no  new  complaints  but  peoples  minds  before  divided 

1  For  this  episode  see  pp.  382-383. 

*A  "letter  from  Boston"  printed  in  the  British  Calendar  of  State  Papers, 
Colonial,  1693-1696,  p.  63,  says  that  "The  witchcraft  at  Salem  went  on  vigor- 
ously .  .  .  until  at  last  members  of  Council  and  Justices  were  accused";  and  the 
Boston  merchant  Calef  in  1697  wrote :  "If  it  be  true  what  was  said  at  the  Counsel- 
board  in  answer  to  the  commendations  of  Sir  William,  for  his  stopping  the  pro- 
ceedings about  Witchcraft,  viz.  That  it  was  high  time  for  him  to  stop  it,  his  own 
Lady  being  accused;  if  that  Assertion  were  a  truth,  then  New-England  may 
seem  to  be  more  beholden  to  the  accusers  for  accusing  of  her,  and  thereby  necessi- 
tating a  stop,  than  to  Sir  William"  (More  Wonders,  p.  154).  Lady  Phips  had 
earned  an  accusation  by  daring,  in  Sir  William's  absence,  herself  to  issue  a  war- 
rant for  the  discharge  of  an  accused  woman.  The  keeper  lost  his  place.  (MS. 
letter  quoted  by  Hutchinson,  II.  61,  note;  the  writer  had  it  from  the  keeper  him- 
self and  had  seen  the  document.) 


202      NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

and  distracted  by  differing  opinions  concerning  this  matter 
are  now  well  composed. 
I  am 
Yor.  Lordships  most  faithfull 

humble  Servant 
WILLIAM  PHIPS 

[Addressed:]    To  the  Rt.  Honble 

the  Earle  of  Nottingham 
att  Whitehall 

London 

[Indorsed :]    R  [i.  e.,  received]  May  24,  93 

abt.  Witches1 

1  This  letter  is  here  reprinted  from  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society's 
Proceedings,  second  ser.,  I.  340-342,  where  the  original,  in  the  British  archives, 
is  described  as  "America  and  West  Indies,  No.  591"  and  "also  in  Colonial  Entry 
Book,  No.  62,  p.  426";  but  the  Calendar  of  State  Papers,  Colonial,  1693-1696, 
which  again  prints  it,  though  in  abridged  form,  ascribes  it  to  "America  and  West 
Indies,  561,  nos.  28,  29,"  and  mentions  the  duplicate  as  "Col.  Entry  Bk.,  Vol. 
LXII,  pp.  426-430,"  and  as  "entered  as  addressed  to  William  Blathwayt."  It 
may  also  be  found  in  G.  H.  Moore's  Final  Notes  on  Witchcraft  in  Massachusetts 
(New  York,  1885),  pp.  90-93,  with  his  annotations.  Examination  at  the  British 
Public  Record  Office  shows  that  the  original  letter  (formerly  America  and  West 
Indies,  561,  no.  28)  is  now  C.  O.  5  :  51,  no.  28,  and  is  plainly  addressed  to  the 
Earl  of  Nottingham. 


FROM   "THE  WONDERS  OF  THE   INVISIBLE 
WORLD,"   BY  COTTON  MATHER,  1693 


INTRODUCTION 

*) 

How  The  Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World  came  to  be  written 
we  have  already  seen.1  Its  author  had  "a  talent  for  sudden 
composures."  We  have  seen  what  a  scrap-bag  was  his  Mem- 
orable Providences;  and  the  pigeon-holes  of  his  desk  must  for 
months  have  been  gathering  materials  that  could  now  be  put 
to  use.  What  these  materials  were  is  suggested  by  his  title- 
page;  but  the  title-page  description  is  not  exact.  There  is 
first  an  essay,  entitled  "Enchantments  Encountered,"  on 
New  England  as  a  home  of  the  saints  and  the  plot  of  the  Devil 
against  her,  especially  as  revealed  by  the  witches  now  confess- 
ing; next  an  abstract  of  the  rules  of  Perkins,  Gaule,  and  Ber- 
nard for  the  detection  of  witches.  Then  follows  "A  Discourse 
on  the  Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World,  uttered  (in  part)  on 
Aug.  4,  1692."  It  is  a  sermon  on  Rev.  xii.  12,  depicting  in 
apocalyptic  phrase  the  Devil's  wrath  and  its  present  manifes- 
tation. Next  comes  "An  Hortatory  and  Necessary  Address, 
to  a  Country  now  extraordinarily  alarum'd  by  the  Wrath  of 
the  Devil" — this,  too,  doubtless  written  for  a  sermon.  "Hav- 
ing thus  discoursed  on  the  Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World," 
says  then  the  author,  "I  shall  now,  with  God's  help,  go  on  to 
relate  some  Remarkable  and  Memorable  Instances  of  Wonders 
which  that  World  has  given  to  ourselves."  Yet  he  still  inserts 
"A  Narrative  of  an  Apparition  which  a  Gentleman  in  Boston 
had  of  his  Brother,"  before  proceeding  to  those  Salem  trials, 
the  kernel  of  his  book,  which  are  reprinted  below. 

Doubtless  these  were  meant,  as  the  title-page  suggests, 
to  form  a  part  of  the  "Enchantments  Encountered,"  but  failed 

1  See  pp.  194-195. 
205 


206         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

to  arrive  in  time.  Mather  had  long  been  begging  them  from 
Stephen  Sewall  (brother  of  Judge  Sewall),  the  clerk  of  the 
court;  but  the  clerk  was  then  very  busy.  On  September  20 
Mather  wrote:  "That  I  may  be  the  more  capable  to  assist  in 
lifting  up  a  standard  against  the  infernal  enemy,  I  must  renew 
my  most  importunate  request."  What  he  asks  is  "a  narrative 
of  the  evidence  given  in  at  the  trials  of  half  a  dozen,  or  if  you 
please,  a  dozen,  of  the  principal  witches  that  have  been  con- 
demned." He  pleads  not  only  SewalTs  promise,  but  that 
"his  Excellency,  the  Governor,  laid  his  positive  commands 
upon  me  to  desire  this  favor  of  you";  "and  the  truth  is,"  he 
adds,  "there  are  some  of  his  circumstances  with  reference  to 
this  affair,  which  I  need  not  mention,  that  call  for  the  expedit- 
ing of  your  kindness."  He  wants  also  some  of  the  clerk's 
"observations  about  the  confessors,  and  the  credibility  of  what 
they  assert,  or  about  things  evidently  preternatural  in  the 
witchcrafts";  but,  "assure  yourself,"  he  concludes,  "I  shall 
not  wittingly  make  what  you  write  prejudicial  to  any  worthy 
design  which  those  two  excellent  persons,  Mr.  Hale  and  Mr. 
Noyes,  may  have  in  hand."  But  the  clerk  took  counsel  before 
he  acted.  His  brother's  Diary  records,  on  Thursday,  Septem- 
ber 22,  that  "William  Stoughton,  Esqr.,  John  Hathorne,  Esqr., 
Mr.  Cotton  Mather,  and  Capt.  John  Higginson,  with  my 
brother  St.,  were  at  our  house,  speaking  about  publishing  some 
Trials  of  the  Witches."  These  had  been  received  and  utilized 
by  early  October  (see  p.  247),  and  the  book,  thus  far  complete, 
could  before  October  11  be  laid  before  the  judges  (see  p.  251) 
and  by  the  12th  could  furnish  material  for  the  governor's 
letter  (see  p.  195). 

Before  the  book  was  out  of  press  there  was  time  to  add 
the  narrative  of  the  Swedish  witches  and  the  sermon  on  "the 
Devil  discovered";  but  these  could  not  seriously  have  delayed 
the  printing,  for  the  book,  complete  and  printed,  must  have 
gone  to  London  by  the  same  ship  which  in  mid-October  took 


INTRODUCTION  207 

Sir  William's  letter.  A  copy  of  the  book  was  doubtless  sent, 
with  this  letter,  to  the  home  government ;  and  it  was  perhaps 
precisely  for  this  use  that  the  volume  had  been  hurried  into 
existence  and  into  print.  What  is  certain  is  that  such  a  copy 
had  before  December  24  reached  the  hands  of  John  Dunton, 
the  London  publisher;  for  on  that  day  he  announced  its 
speedy  publication,  and  by  December  29  it  was  already  in 
print,  though  with  "1693"  on  its  title-page.1  A  "second  edi- 
tion," much  abridged  (though  not  by  the  omission  of  the 
Salem  trials),  he  issued  in  February  1693,  and  reprinted  it  as 
a  "third"  in  June. 

The  news-letter,  with  imprint  of  1692,  calling  itself  A  True 
Account  of  the  Tryals  .  .  .  at  Salem,  in  New  England  .  .  .  in 
a  Letter  to  a  Friend  in  London  and  signed  at  end  "C.  M."  is 
only  a  bookseller's  fraud,  compiled  from  the  Wonders  by  some 
hack  (who  has  not  even  taken  the  trouble  to  imitate  its  style) 
and  printed  in  1693. 

The  Wonders  was  reprinted  at  Salem  in  1861  (with  Calef's 
More  Wonders},  by  Mr.  S.  P.  Fowler,  in  a  volume  called  Salem 
Witchcraft]  but,  alas,  from  the  abridged  "third  edition"  and 
with  serious  further  abridgment.  In  1862  the  first  London 
edition  was  embodied  in  a  volume  of  John  Russell  Smith's 
Library  of  Old  Authors  (cf.  p.  149,  note  1);  and  in  1866  the 
work  was  again  reprinted,  and  with  much  more  exactness,2  as 

1  That  this  London  edition  was  printed,  not  from  a  manuscript  copy,  but 
from  the  printed  Boston  edition,  broken  up  for  the  compositors,  is  clear  to  any 
printer  who  compares  the  two.     See,  for  details,  a  paragraph  in  the  N.  Y.  Nation 
for  November  5,  1908  (LXXXVII.  435),  or  the  descriptive  note  of  G.  F.  Black 
in  the  New  York  Library's  List  of  Works  relating  to  Witchcraft  in  the  United 
States  (Bulletin,  1908,  XII.  666).     All  extant  copies  of  the  Boston  edition  seem 
to  have  the  title-page  date  "1693"  (an  alleged  exception  proves  to  be  a  myth); 
and  this  probably  means  that  till  January,  at  least,  the  book  was  withheld  from 
circulation.     As  to  all  the  early  editions,  see  Moore,  Notes  on  the  Bibliography  of 
Witchcraft  in  Massachusetts  (American  Antiquarian  Society,  Proceedings,  n.  s., 
V.),  and  the  New  York  Library's  List,  as  above. 

2  The  type  being  set  from  the  first  London  edition,  but  the  proofs  read  by 
the  Boston  one.    (See  Drake's  preface,  p.  vii,  and  his  postscript,  p.  247.) 


208  NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

no.  V.  of  the  Historical  Series  of  W.  Elliot  Woodward  (Rox- 
bury,  Mass.),  being  again  coupled  with  Calef's  More  Wonders 
(forming  nos.  VI.,  VII.,  of  the  same  series)  under  a  common 
title,  The  Witchcraft  Delusion  in  New  England,  and  a  common 
editor,  S.  G.  Drake,  who  contributes  elaborate  introductions 
and  notes.  An  alleged  reprint  by  J.  Smith,  London,  1834 
(and  again  by  H.  Howell  in  1840),  as  an  addition  to  Baxter's, 
Certainty  of  the  World  of  Spirits  is  not  Mather's  Wondeis  at 
all,  but  only  the  witchcraft  pages  of  his  Magnalia. 


THE  WONDERS  OF  THE  INVISIBLE  WORLD 

The  Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World.  Observations  As  well  His- 
torical as  Theological,  upon  the  Nature,  the  Number,  and 
the  Operations  of  the  Devils.  Accompany' d  with 

I.  Some  Accounts  of  the  Grievous  Molestations,  by  Dcemons  and 

Witchcrafts,  which  have  lately  annoy'd  the  Countrey;  and  the 
Trials  of  some  eminent  Malefactors  Executed  upon  occasion 
thereof:  with  several  Remarkable  Curiosities  therein  occurring. 

II.  Some  Councils,  Directing  a  due  Improvement  of  the  terrible 
things,  lately  done,  by  the  Unusual  and  Amazing  Range  of 
Evil  Spirits,  in  Our  Neighbourhood:  and  the  methods  to  pre- 
vent the  Wrongs  which  those  Evil  Angels  may  intend  against 
all  sorts  of  people  among  us;  especially  in  Accusations  of  the 
Innocent. 

III.  Some  Conjectures  upon  the  great  Events,  likely  to  befall 
the  World  in  General,  and  New-England  in  Particular;  as 
also  upon  the  Advances  of  the  time,  when  we  shall  see  Better 
Dayes. 

IV.  A  short  Narrative  of  a  late  Outrage  committed  by  a  knot  of 
Witches  in  Swedeland,  very  much  Resembling,  and  so  far 
Explaining,  That  under  which  our  parts  of  America  have 
laboured! 

V.  The  Devil  Discovered:    In  a  Brief  Discourse  upon  those 
Temptations,  which  are  the  more  Ordinary  Devices  of  the 
Wicked  One. 

By  Cotton  Mather. 

Boston,  Printed,  by  Benjamin  Harris  for  Sam.  Phillips.     1693.1 
Published  by  the  Special  Command  of  His  Excellency,  the  Gover- 
nour  of  the  Province  of  the  Massachusetts-Bay  in  New-En- 
gland.2 

1  Title-page  of  original. 

2  Reverse  of  title-page.     Governor  Sir  William  Phips.     We  have  just  read, 
indeed,  his  own  assertion  (p.  197,  above)  that  he  had  "put  a  stop  to  the  printing 
of  any  discourses  one  way  or  other,"  and  this  may  explain  why,  though  this 

209 


210         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 


The  Author's  Defence. 

'Tis,  as  I  remember,  the  Learned  Scribonius,1  who  Re- 
ports, that  One  of  his  Acquaintance,  devoutly  making  his 
Prayers  on  the  behalf  of  a  Person  molested  by  Evil  Spirits, 
received  from  those  Evil  Spirits  an  horrible  Blow  over  the 
Face :  And  I  may  my  self  Expect  not  few  or  small  Bufferings 
from  Evil  Spirits,  for  the  Endeavours  wherewith  I  am  now 
going  to  Encounter  them.  I  am  far  from  Insensible,  That  at 
this  Extraordinary  Time  of  the  Devils  Coming  down  in  Great 
Wrath  upon  us,  there  are  too  many  Tongues  and  Hearts 
thereby  Set  on  Fire  of  Hell;  that  the  various  Opinions  about 
the  Witchcrafts  which  of  Later  Time  have  Troubled  us,  are 
maintained  by  some  with  so  much  Cloudy  Fury,  as  if  they 
could  never  be  sufficiently  Stated,  unless  written  in  the  Liquor 
wherewith  Witches  use  to  write  their  Covenants;  and  that  he 
who  becomes  an  Author  at  such  a  Time,  had  need  be  Fenced 
with  Iron,  and  the  Staff  of  a  Spear.  The  unaccountable  Fro- 
wardness,  Asperity,  Untreatableness,  and  Inconsistency  of 
many  persons,  every  Day  gives  a  Visible  Exposition  of  that 
passage,  An  Evil  Spirit  from  the  Lord  came  upon  Saul ;  and 
Illustration  of  that  Story,  There  met  him  two  Possessed  with 
Devils,  exceeding  Fierce,  so  that  no  man  might  pass  by  that  way. 
To  send  abroad  a  Book,  among  such  Readers,  were  a  very  un- 
advised Thing,  if  a  man  had  not  such  Reasons  to  give,  as  I  can 
bring,  for  such  an  Undertaking.  Briefly,  I  hope  it  cannot  be 
said,  They  are  all  so;  No,  I  hope  the  Body  of  this  People,  are 
yet  in  such  a  Temper,  as  to  be  capable  of  Applying  their 
Thoughts,  to  make  a  Right  Use  of  the  Stupendous  and  pro- 
digious Things  that  are  happening  among  us:  and  because  I 

book  was  complete  in  October,  it  was  not  published  before  January,  as  well  as 
why,  when  it  did  appear,  it  thus  bore  the  express  sanction  of  the  governor.  As 
to  the  suggestion  of  Upham  and  Moore  that  not  Phips  but  Stoughton  may  be 
here  meant,  see  p.  194,  note  6. 

1  Wilhelm  Adolf  Scribonius,  a  Hessian  scholar,  is  best  known  in  the  literature 
of  witchcraft  as  the  chief  advocate  of  the  water  ordeal  (see  p.  21,  above)  for  the 
detection  of  witches.  This  story  is  told  on  ff.  82-83  of  his  Physiologia  Sagarum 
(Marburg,  1588 — the  full  title  is  De  Sagarum  Natura  et  Potestate,  deque  his  rede 
cognoscendis  et  puniendi*  Physiologia),  and  in  English  by  Baxter,  Worlds  of 
Spirits,  p.  104, 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  211 

was  concern'd,  when  I  saw  that  no  Abler  Hand  Emitted  any 
Essayes  to  Engage  the  Minds  of  this  People  in  such  Holy, 
Pious,  Fruitful  Improvements,  as  God  would  have  to  be  made 
of  His  Amazing  Dispensations  now  upon  us,  Therefore  it  is, 
that  One  of  the  Least  among  the  Children  of  New-England, 
has  here  done,  what  is  done.  None,  but  the  Father,  who  sees 
in  Secret,  knows  the  Heart-breaking  Exercises,  wherewith  I 
have  Composed  what  is  now  going  to  be  Exposed,  Lest  I  should' 
in  any  One  Thing  miss  of  Doing  my  Designed  Service  for  His 
Glory,  and  for  His  People ;  But  I  am  now  somewhat  comforta- 
bly Assured  of  His  favourable  Acceptance;  and,  I  will  not 
Fear;  what  can  a  Satan  do  unto  me! 

Having  Performed  Something  of  what  God  Required,  in 
labouring  to  suit  His  Words  unto  His  Works,  at  this  Day 
among  us,  and  therewithal  handled  a  Theme  that  has  been 
sometimes  counted  not  unworthy  the  Pen,  even  of  a  King,  it 
will  easily  be  perceived,  that  some  subordinate  Ends  have 
been  considered  in  these  Endeavours. 

I  have  indeed  set  my  self  to  Countermine  the  whole  Plot 
of  the  Devil  against  New-England,1  in  every  Branch  of  it,  as 
far  as  one  of  my  Darkness  can  comprehend  such  a  Work  of 
Darkness.  I  may  add,  that  I  have  herein  also  aimed  at  the 
Information  and  Satisfaction  of  Good  men  in  another  Coun- 
trey,  a  Thousand  Leagues  off,  where  I  have,  it  may  be,  More, 
or  however,  more  Considerable  Friends,  than  in  My  Own;2 
And  I  do  what  I  can  to  have  that  Countrey,  now  as  well  as 
alwayes,  in  the  best  Terms  with  My  Own.  But  while  I  am 

1  As  to  this  "plot  of  the  Devil,"  see  Mather's  own  words  (Wonders,  pp.  16-19, 
25,  not  here  reprinted) :  "we  have  been  advised  .  .  .  that  a  Malefactor,  accused 
of  Witchcraft  as  well  as  Murder,  and  Executed  in  this  place  more  than  Forty 
Years  ago,  did  then  give  Notice  of  An  Horrible  Plot  against  the  Country  by 
Witchcraft,  and  a  Foundation  of  Witchcraft  then  laid,  which  if  it  were  not 
seasonably  discovered  would  probably  Blow  up,  and  pull  down  all  the  Churches 
in  the  Country."     "We  have  now  with  Horror,"  he  adds,  "seen  the  Discovery  of 
such  a  Witchcraft!"  and  from  the  confessions  at  Salem  he  learns  that  "at  pro- 
digious Witch-Meetings  the  Wretches  have  proceeded  so  far  as  to  Concert  and 
Consult  the  Methods  of  Rooting  out  the  Christian  Religion  from  this  Country" 
and  setting  up  instead  of  it  a  "Diabolism."     Not  even  this  is  all:   "it  may  be 
fear'd  that,  in  the  Horrible  Tempest  which  is  now  upon  ourselves,  the  design  of 
the  Devil  is  to  sink  that  Happy  Settlement  of  Government  wherewith  Almighty 
God  has  graciously  enclined  Their  Majesties  to  favour  us." 

2  It  is  of  England,  of  course,  that  he  speaks. 


212         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

doing  these  things,  I  have  been  driven  a  little  to  do  something 
likewise  for  My  self;  I  mean,  by  taking  off  the  false  Reports 
and  hard  Censures  about  my  Opinion  in  these  matters,  the 
Farters  Portion,  which  my  pursuit  of  Peace  has  procured  me 
among  the  Keen.  My  hitherto  Unvaried  Thoughts  are  here 
Published;  and,  I  believe,  they  will  be  owned  by  most  of  the 
Ministers  of  God  in  these  Colonies;  nor  can  amends  be  well 
made  me,  for  the  wrong  done  me,  by  other  sorts  of  Represen- 
tations. 

In  fine,  For  the  Dogmatical  part  of  my  Discourse,  I  want 
no  Defence;  for  the  Historical  part  of  it,  I  have  a  very  Great 
One.  The  Lieutenant-Governour  of  New-England,  having 
perused  it,  has  done  me  the  Honour  of  giving  me  a  Shield,1 
under  the  Umbrage  whereof  I  now  dare  to  walk  Abroad. 

Reverend  and  Dear  Sir, 

You  Very  much  Gratify'd  me,  as  well  as  put  a  kind  Respect 
upon  me,  when  you  put  into  my  hands,  Your  Elaborate  and  most 
seasonable  Discourse,  entituled,  The  Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World. 
And  having  now  Perused  so  fruitful  and  happy  a  Composure,  upon 
such  a  Subject,  at  this  Juncture  of  Time,  and  considering  the  Place 
that  I  Hold  in  the  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  still  Labouring  and 
Proceeding  in  the  Trial  of  the  persons  Accused  and  Convicted  for 
Witchcraft,  I  find  that  I  am  more  nearly  and  highly  concerned  than 
as  a  meer  Ordinary  Reader,  to  Express  my  Obligation  and  Thank- 
fulness to  you  for  so  great  Pains;  and  cannot  but  hold  my  self  many 
ways  bound,  even  to  the  utmost  of  what  is  proper  for  me,  in  my 
present  Publick  Capacity,  to  declare  my  Singular  Approbation 
thereof.  Such  is  Your  Design,  most  plainly  expressed  throughout 
the  whole;  such  Your  Zeal  for  God,  Your  Enmity  to  Satan  and  his 
Kingdom,  Your  Faithfulness  and  Compassion  to  this  poor  people; 
Such  the  Vigour,  but  yet  great  Temper  of  your  Spirit;  Such  your 
Instruction  and  Counsel,  your  Care  of  Truth,  Your  Wisdom  and 
Dexterity  in  allaying  and  moderating  that  among  us,  which  needs  it; 
Such  your  Clear  Discerning  of  Divine  Providences  and  Periods,  now 
running  on  apace  towards  their  Glorious  Issues  in  the  World;  and 
finally,  Such  your  Good  News  of  The  Shortness  of  the  Devils  Time, 
That  all  Good  Men  must  needs  Desire  the  making  of  this  your  Dis- 

1  As  to  Lieutenant-Governor  Stoughton,  head  of  the  court  which  had  tried 
the  witch  cases,  see  above,  p.  183  and  note  2,  and  pp.  196-201.  His  "shield" 
means  the  following  letter. 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  213 

course  Publick  to  the  World;  and  will  greatly  Rejoyce  that  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  has  thus  Enabled  you  to  Lift  up  a  Standard  against  the 
Infernal  Enemy,  that  hath  been  Coming  in  like  a  Flood  upon  us.  I 
do  therefore  make  it  my  particular  and  Earnest  Request  unto  you, 
that  as  soon  as  may  be,  you  will  Commit  the  same  unto  the  Press 
accordingly.  I  am, 

Your  Assured  Friend, 

WILLIAM  STOUGHTON. 

I  Live  by  Neighbours  that  force  me  to  produce  these  Un- 
deserved Lines.  But  now,  as  when  Mr.  Wilson,1  beholding 
a  great  Muster  of  Souldiers,  had  it  by  a  Gentleman  then 
present  said  unto  him,  "Sir,  IT  tell  you  a  great  Thing: here 
is  a  mighty  Body  of  People;  and  there  is  not  Seven  of  them 
all  but  what  Loves  Mr.  Wilson;"  that  Gracious  Man  pres- 
ently and  pleasantly  Reply'd,  "  Sir,  I'll  tell  you  as  good  a  thing 
as  that;  here  is  a  mighty  Body  of  People,  and  there  is  not  so 
much  as  One  among  them  all,  but  Mr.  Wilson  Loves  him." 
Somewhat  so :  'Tis  possible  that  among  this  Body  of  People 
there  may  be  few  that  Love  the  Writer  of  this  Book;  but  give 
me  leave  to  boast  so  far,  there  is  not  one  among  all  this  Body 
of  People,  whom  this  Mather  would  not  Study  to  Serve,  as 
well  as  to  Love.  With  such  a  Spirit  of  Love,  is  the  Book  now 
before  us  written :  I  appeal  to  all  this  World ;  and  if  this  World 
will  deny  me  the  Right  of  acknowledging  so  much,  I  Appeal  to 
the  Other,  that  it  is  Not  written  with  an  Evil  Spirit :  for  which 
cause  I  shall  not  wonder,  if  Evil  Spirits  be  Exasperated  by 
what  is  Written,  as  the  Sadducees  doubtless  were  with  what 
was  Discoursed  in  the  Days  of  our  Saviour.  I  only  Demand 
the  Justice,  that  others  Read  it,  with  the  same  Spirit  where- 
with I  writ  it.2 


But  I  shall  no  longer  detain  my  Reader,  from  His  expected 
entertainment,  in  a  Brief  Account  of  the  Trials  which  have 
passed  upon  some  of  the  Malefactors  Lately  Executed  at 
Salem,  for  the  Witchcrafts  whereof  they  stood  Convicted. 

1  Doubtless  the  Rev.  John  Wilson  (d.  1667),  the  first  minister  of  Boston. 
1  There  now  follow  the  miscellaneous  matters  described  in  the  introduction, 
making  up  more  than  half  of  his  volume. 


NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       (1692 


For  my  own  part,  I  was  not  Present  at  any  of  Them;1  nor 
ever  Had  I  any  personal  prejudice  at  the  persons  thus  brought 
upon  the  Stage;  much  less  at  the  Surviving  Relations  of  those 
persons,  with  and  for  whom  I  would  be  as  Hearty  a  mourner 
as  any  man  Living  in  the  World:  The  Lord  Comfort  them! 
But  having  Received  a  Command  so  to  do,2  1  can  do  no  other 
than  shortly  Relate  the  Chief  Matters  of  fact,  which  occurr'd 
in  the  Trials  of  some  that  were  Executed,  in  an  Abridgment 
collected  out  of  the  Court-Papers,  on  this  occasion  put  into 
my  Hands.3  You  are  to  take  the  Truth,  just  as  it  was;  and 
the  Truth  will  hurt  no  good  man.  There  might  have  been 
more  of  these,  if  my  Book  would  not  thereby  have  been  swollen 
too  big;  and  if  some  other  worthy  hands  did  not  perhaps  in- 
tend something  further  in  these  Collections;4  for  which  cause 
I  have  only  singled  out  Four  or  Five,  which  may  serve  to 
Illustrate  the  way  of  dealing,  wherein  Witchcrafts  use  to  be 
concerned;  and  I  Report  matters  not  as  an  Advocate  but  as 
an  Historian. 

They  were  some  of  the  Gracious  Words  inserted  in  the 
Advice,  which  many  of  the  Neighbouring  Ministers  did  this 
Slimmer  humbly  lay  before  our  Honorable  Judges,  "  We  cannot 
but  with  all  thankfulness  acknowledge  the  success  which  the 
Merciful  God  has  given  unto  the  Sedulous  and  Assiduous  en- 
deavours of  Our  Honourable  Rulers,  to  detect  the  abomina- 
ble Witchcrafts  which  have  been  committed  in  the  Country; 
Humbly  Praying  that  the  discovery  of  those  mysterious  and 
mischievous  wickednesses,  may  be  perfected."  5  If  in  the 
midst  of  the  many  Dissatisfactions  among  us,  the  publication 
of  these  Trials  may  promote  such  a  pious  Thankfulness  unto 
God,  for  Justice  being  so  far  executed  among  us,  I  shall  Re- 

1  He  must  at  least  have  been  present  at  some  of  the  examinations  (like  those 
described  by  Lawson)  preceding  the  trials;  for  in  his  Diary  (I.  151),  commending 
the  judges,  he  adds,  "and  my  Compassion,  upon  the  Sight  of  their  Difficulties, 
raised  by  my  Journeyes  to  Salem,  the  chief  Seat  of  these  diabolical  Vexations, 
caused  mee  yett  more  to  do  so."  From  attending  the  trials  he  had  excused  him- 
self (see  the  letter  mentioned  on  p.  194,  note  5)  on  the  score  of  ill  health. 

*  From  the  governor;  see  above,  p.  194,  and  p.  250.          *See  introduction. 

4  Meaning,  doubtless,  Hale  and  Noyes.     See  p.  206,  above. 

1  This  is  the  second  paragraph  in  the  reply  of  the  ministers  of  Boston,  June 
15,  1692,  to  the  request  of  the  governor  and  Council  for  advice.  (See  p.  194, 
above.)  It  was  drawn  up  by  Cotton  Mather  himself. 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  215 

Joyce  that  God  is  Glorified;  and  pray  that  no  wrong  steps  of 
ours  may  ever  sully  any  of  His  Glorious  Works.1 


I.    The  Tryal  of  G.  B*    At  a  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer, 
Held  in  Salem,  1692. 

Glad  should  I  have  been,  if  I  had  never  known  the  Name 
of  this  man;  or  never  had  this  occasion  to  mention  so  much 
as  the  first  Letters  of  his  Name.3  But  the  Government  re- 
quiring some  Account  of  his  Trial  to  be  Inserted  in  this  Book, 
it  becomes  me  with  all  Obedience  to  submit  unto  the  Order. 

I.  This  G.  B.  was  indicted  for  Witch-crafts,  and  in  the 
Prosecution  of  the  Charge  against  him,  he  was  Accused  by 
five  or  six  of  the  Bewitched,  as  the  Author  of  their  Miseries; 
he  was  Accused  by  eight  of  the  Confessing  Witches,  as  being 
an  Head  Actor  at  some  of  their  Hellish  Randezvouzes,  and  one 

1  What  next  follows,  very  cleverly  ensuring  a  friendly  attitude  toward  the 
Salem  court,  is  an  account  of  the  English  witch-trial  of  1664  before  Sir  Matthew 
Hale.     It  is  abridged  from  the  well-known  booklet  (A  Tryal  of  Witches  at  the 
Assizes  held  at  Bury  St.  Edmonds,  etc.)  published  at  London  in  1682,  which  had 
been  a  guide  to  the  Salem  judges  (see  p.  416,  below). 

2  The  Rev.  George  Burroughs,  the  most  notable  of  the  victims  at  Salem. 
A  graduate  of  Harvard  in  the  class  of  1670,  he  preached  in  Maine  for  some  years, 
and  in  1680  became  pastor  at  Salem  Village,  where  he  fell  heir  to  a  parish  quarrel, 
and,  becoming  involved  in  it,  found  it  wise  to  remove  in  1683 — Deodat  Lawson 
succeeding  him.     Burroughs  returned  to  Maine,  and  was  a  pastor  there  at  Wells, 
when  his  accusation  by  the  "afflicted"  at  Salem  caused  his  arrest.     He  was 
brought  back  to  Salem  on  May  4,  committed  on  May  9,  tried  on  August  5,  exe- 
cuted on  August  19.     As  to  his  story  see  especially  Upham,  Salem  Witchcraft, 
Sibley,  Harvard  Graduates  (II.  323-334),  Moore,  "Notes  on  the  Bibliography  of 
Witchcraft  in  Massachusetts"  (in  American  Antiquarian  Society,  Proceedings, 
n.  s.,  V.),  pp.  270-273,  but,  first  of  all,  the  mentions  of  Calef,  reprinted  below  (pp. 
301,  360-365,  378-379). 

3  It  is  not  improbable  that  Mather  had  already  begun  to  find  himself  blamed 
for  his  harsh  words  as  to  Burroughs.     On  August  5,  the  day  of  his  trial,  he  had 
written  to  a  friend :  "Our  Good  God  is  working  of  Miracles.     Five  Witches  were 
Lately  Executed,  impudently  demanding  of  God  a  Miraculous  Vindication  of 
their  Innocency.     Immediately  upon  this,  Our  God  Miraculously  sent  in  Five 
Andover- Witches,  who  made  a  most  ample,  surprising,  amazing  Confession,  of 
fll  their  Villainies  and  declared  the  Five  newly  executed  to  have  been  of  their 
Company;   discovering  many  more;   but  all  agreeing  in  Burroughs  being  their 
Ringleader,  who,  I  suppose,  this  day  receives  his  Trial  at  Salem,  whither  a  Vast 
Concourse  of  people  is  gone;  My  Father  this  morning  among  the  Rest." 


216         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

who  had  the  promise  of  being  a  King  in  Satans  Kingdom,  now 
going  to  be  Erected :  he  was  Accused  by  nine  persons  for  ex- 
traordinary Lifting,  and  such  Feats  of  Strength,  as  could  not 
be  done  without  a  Diabolical  Assistance.  And  for  other  such 
Things  he  was  Accused,  until  about  Thirty  Testimonies  were 
brought  in  against  him;  nor  were  these  judg'd  the  half  of  what 
might  have  been  considered  for  his  Conviction :  however  they 
were  enough  to  fix  the  Character  of  a  Witch  upon  him  accord- 
ing to  the  Rules  of  Reasoning,  by  the  Judicious  Gaule,1  in  that 
Case  directed. 

II.  The  Court  being  sensible,  that  the  Testimonies  of  the 
Parties  Bewitched  use  to  have  a  Room  among  the  Suspicions 
or  Presumptions,  brought  in  against  one  Indicted  for  Witch- 
craft, there  were  now  heard  the  Testimonies  of  several  Per- 
sons, who  were  most  notoriously  Bewitched,  and  every  day 
Tortured  by  Invisible  Hands,  and  these  now  all  charged  the 
Spectres  of  G.  B.  to  have  a  share  in  their  Torments.  At  the 
Examination  of  this  G.  B.  the  Bewitched  People  were  griev- 
ously harassed  with  Preternatural  Mischiefs,  which  could  not 
possibly  be  Dissembled;  and  they  still  ascribed  it  unto  the 
Endeavours  of  G.  B.  to  kill  them.  And  now  upon  his  Trial, 
one  of  the  Bewitched  Persons  testify'd,  That  in  her  Agonies, 
a  little  Black  hair'd  man  came  to  her,  saying  his  Name  was 
B.  and  bidding  her  set  her  hand  unto  a  Book  which  he  show'd 
unto  her;  and  bragging  that  he  was  a  Conjurer,  above  the 
ordinary  Rank  of  Witches;  That  he  often  persecuted  her  with 
the  offer  of  that  Book,  saying,  She  should  be  well,  and  need 
fear  no  body,  if  she  would  but  Sign  it;  but  he  inflicted  cruel 
Pains  and  Hurts  upon  her,  because  of  her  Denying  so  to  do. 
The  Testimonies  of  the  other  Sufferers  concurred  with  these; 
and  it  was  Remarkable,  that  whereas  Biting  was  one  of  the 
ways  which  the  Witches  used  for  the  vexing  of  the  Sufferers, 
when  they  cry'd  out  of  G.  B.  biting  them,  the  print  of  the  Teeth 
would  be  seen  on  the  Flesh  of  the  Complainers,  and  just 

1  John  Gaule,  rector  of  Great  Stoughton,  in  Huntingdonshire,  was  the  first 
to  oppose  openly  the  witch-finder  Hopkins,  and  wrote  a  little  book,  Select  Cases 
of  Conscience  touching  Witches  and  Witchcrafts  (London,  1646),  to  lay  bare  hi? 
outrages  and  suggest  saner  methods.  (See  Notestein,  Witchcraft  in  England,* 
pp.  186-187,  236-237.)  His  rules  for  the  detection  of  witches  are  published 
(though  not  without  serious  garbling)  earlier  in  Mather's  volume. 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  217 

such  a  sett  of  Teeth  as  G.  B's  would  then  appear  upon 
them,  which  could  be  distinguished  from  those  of  some  other 
mens.  Others  of  them  testify'dj  That  in  their  Torments,  G.  B. 
tempted  them  to  go  unto  a  Sacrament,  unto  which  they  per-  - 
ceived  him  with  a  sound  of  Trumpet  Summoning  of  other 
Witches,  who  quickly  after  the  Sound  would  come  from  all 
Quarters  unto  the  Rendezvouz.  One  of  them  falling  into  a 
kind  of  Trance,  afterwards  affirmed,  That  G.  B.  had  carried 
her  into  a  very  high  Mountain,  where  he  show'd  her  mighty 
and  glorious  Kingdoms,  and  said,  He  would  give  them  all  to 
her,  if  she  would  write  in  his  Book;  but  she  told  him,  They 
were  none  of  his  to  give;  and  refused  the  motions,  enduring 
of  much  misery  for  that  Refusal. 

It  cost  the  Court  a  wonderful  deal  of  Trouble,  to  hear  the 
Testimonies  of  the  Sufferers;  for  when  they  were  going  to 
give  in  their  Depositions,  they  would  for  a  long  time  be  taken 
with  fitts,  that  made  them  uncapable  of  saying  any  thing. 
The  Chief  Judge  asked  the  prisoner,  who  he  thought  hindred 
these  witnesses  from  giving  their  testimonies?  and  he  answered, 
He  supposed  it  was  the  Divel.  That  Honourable  person  then 
reply'd,  How  comes  the  Divel  so  loathe  to  have  any  Testi- 
mony born  against  you?  Which  cast  him  into  very  great 
confusion. 

III.  It  has  been  a  frequent  thing  for  the  Bewitched  peo- 
ple to  be  entertained  with  Apparitions  of  Ghosts  of  murdered 
people,  at  the  same  time  that  the  Spectres  of  the  witches 
trouble  them.  These  Ghosts  do  always  affright  the  Beholders 
more  than  all  the  other  spectral  Representations;  and  when 
they  exhibit  themselves,  they  cry  out,  of  being  Murdered  by 
the  witchcrafts  or  other  violences  of  the  persons  who  are  then 
in  spectre  present.  It  is  further  considerable,  that  once  or 
twice,  these  Apparitions  have  been  seen  by  others  at  the  very 
same  time  that  they  have  shewn  them  selves  to  the  Bewitched; 
and  seldom  have  there  been  these  Apparitions  but  when  some- 
thing unusual  and  suspected  had  attended  the  Death  of  the 
party  thus  Appearing.  Some  that  have  bin  accused  by  these 
Apparitions,  accosting  of  the  Bewitched  People,  who  had  never 
heard  a  word  of  any  such  persons  ever  being  in  the  world, 
have  upon  a  fair  examination  freely  and  fully  confessed  the 
murders  of  those  very  persons,  altho'  these  also  did  not  know 


218         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

how  the  Apparitions  had  complained  of  them.  Accordingly 
several  of  the  Bewitched  had  given  in  their  Testimony,  that 
they  had  been  troubled  with  the  Apparitions  of  two  women, 
who  said  that  they  were  G.  B's  two  wives,  and  that  he  had  been 
the  Death  of  them;  and  that  the  Magistrates  must  be  told  of 
it,  before  whom  if  B.  upon  his  trial  deny'd  it,  they  did  not 
know  but  that  they  should  appear  again  in  the  Court.  Now, 
G.  B.  had  been  infamous  for  the  Barbarous  usage  of  his  two 
successive  wives,  all  the  Country  over.  Moreover,  It  was 
testify'd,  the  spectre  of  G.  B.  threatning  of  the  sufferers  told 
them,  he  had  killed  (besides  others)  Mrs.  Lawson  and  her 
Daughter  Ann.1  And  it  was  noted,  That  these  were  the  ver- 
tuous  wife  and  Daughter  of  one  at  whom  this  G.  B.  might  have. 

-  a  prejudice  for  his  being  serviceable  at  Salem-village,  from 
whence  himself  had  in  111  Terms  removed  some  years  before: 
and  that  when  they  dy'd,  which  was  long  since,  there  were 

-  some  odd  circumstances  about  them,  which  made  some  of  the 
Attendents  there  suspect  something  of  witchcraft,  tho'  none^ 
Imagined  from  what  Quarter  it  should  come. 

Well,  G.  B.  being  now  upon  his  Triall,  one  of  the  Bewitched 
persons  was  cast  into  Horror  at  the  Ghosts  of  B's  two  de- 
ceased wives  then  appearing  before  him,  and  crying  for  Ven- 
geance against  him.  Hereupon  several  of  the  Bewitched  per- 
sons were  successively  called  in,  who  all  not  knowing  what  the 
former  had  seen  and  said,  concurred  in  their  Horror  of  the 
Apparition,  which  they  affirmed  that  he  had  before  him.  But 
he,  tho'  much  appalled,  utterly  deny'd  that  he  discerned  any 
thing  of  it;  nor  was  it  any  part  of  his  Conviction. 

IV.  Judicious  Writers  have  assigned  it  a  great  place  in 
the  Conviction  of  witches,  when  persons  are  Impeached  by 
other  Notorious  witches,  to  be  as  111  as  themselves;  especially, 
—  if  the  persons  have  been  much  noted  for  neglecting  the  Wor- 
ship of  God.  Now,  as  there  might  have  been  Testimonies 
Enough  of  G.  B's  Antipathy  to  Prayer  and  the  other  Ordi- 
nances of  God,  tho'  by  his  profession  singularly  obliged  there- 
unto; so,  there  now  came  in  against  the  prisoner  the  Testi- 
monies of  several  persons,  who  confessed  their  own  having 
been  Horrible  Witches,  and  ever  since  their  confessions  had 
been  themselves  terribly  Tortured  by  the  Devils  and  other 

1  The  wife  and  the  daughter  of  Deodat  Lawson;  see  p.  148. 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  219 

Witches,  even  like  the  other  Sufferers;  and  therein  undergone 
the  pains  of  many  Deaths  for  their  Confessions. 

These  now  Testify 'd,  that  G.  B.  had  been  at  Witch-meetings 
with  them;  and  that  he  was  the  Person  who  had  Seduc'd 
and  Compell'd  them  into  the  snares  of  Witchcraft:  That  he 
promised  them  Fine  Cloaths,  for  doing  it;  that  he  brought 
Poppets  to  them,  and  thorns  to  stick  into  those  Poppets,  for 
the  afflicting  of  other  People;  And  that  he  exhorted  them, 
with  the  rest  of  the  Crue,  to  bewitch  all  Salem- Village,  but 
be  sure  to  do  it  Gradually,  .if  they  would  prevail  in  what 
they  did. 

When  the  Lancashire  Witches1  were  condemned,  I  don't 
Remember  that  there  was  any  considerable  further  Evidence, 
than  that  of  the  Bewitched,  and  then  that  of  some  that  con- 
fessed. We  see  so  much  already  against  G.  B.  But  this 
being  indeed  not  Enough,  there  were  other  things  to  render 
what  had  already  been  produced  credible.  - 

V.  A  famous  Divine2  recites  this  among  the  Convictions 
of  a  Witch;  The  Testimony  of  the  Party  Bewitched,  whether 
Pining  or  Dying;  together  with  the  Joint  Oathes  of  Sufficient 
Persons  that  have  seen  certain  Prodigious  Pranks  or  Feats 
wrought  by  the  party  Accused.  Now  God  had  been  pleased 
so  to  leave  this  G.  B.  that  he  had  ensnared  himself  by  several 
Instances,  which  he  had  formerly  given  of  a  Preternatural 
strength,  and  which  were  now  produced  against  him.  He  was 
a  very  Puny  man;3  yet  he  had  often  done  things  beyond  the 
strength  of  a  Giant.  A  Gun  of  about  seven  foot  barrel,  and 
so  heavy  that  strong  men  could  not  steadily  hold  it  out  with 
both  hands;  there  were  several  Testimonies,  given  in  by  Per- 
sons of  Credit  and  Honour,  that  he  made  nothing  of  taking  up 
such  a  Gun  behind  the  Lock,  with  but  one  hand,  and  holding 
it  out  like  a  Pistol,  at  Arms-end.  G.  B.  in  his  Vindication  was 
so  foolish  as  to  say,  That  an  Indian  was  there,  and  held  it  out 
at  the  same  time :  Whereas,  none  of  the  Spectators  ever  saw 

1  /.  e.,  those  tried  and  executed  in  1612,  and  famous  through  the  Discoverie 
of  Potts  (London,  1613),  which  Mather  seems  here  to  use,  and  the  play  of  Shad- 
well. 

2  John  Gaule  again:  this  is  the  fifth  of  his  "more  certain"  signs.     (Select 
Cases,  p.  82.) 

* But  see,  on  the  contrary,  page  301. 


220         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

any  such  Indian;  but  they  suppos'd  the  Black  man  (as  the 
Witches  call  the  Devil;  and  they  generally  say  he  resembles 
an  Indian)  might  give  him  that  Assistence.  There  was  Evi- 
-  dence  likewise  brought  in,  that  he  made  nothing  of  Taking  up 
whole  Barrels  filTd  with  Malasses  or  Cider,  in  very  Disadvan- 
tagious  Postures,  and  Carrying  of  them  through  the  Difficult- 
est  Places  out  of  a  Canoo  to  the  Shore. 

Yea,  there  were  Two  Testimonies  that  G.  B.  with  only 
putting  the  Fore-Finger  of  his  Right  hand  into  the  Muzzel  of 
an  heavy  Gun,  a  Fowling-piece  of  about  six  or  seven  foot 
Barrel,  did  Lift  up  the  Gun,  and  hold  it  out  at  Arms  end;  a 
Gun  which  the  Deponents  though  strong  men  could  not  with 
both  hands  Lift  up,  and  hold  out  at  the  Butt  end,  as  is  usual. 
Indeed,  one  of  these  Witnesses  was  over  perswaded  by  some 
persons  to  be  out  of  the  way  upon  G.  B's  Trial;  but  he  came 
afterwards  with  sorrow  for  his  withdraw,  and  gave  in  his 
Testimony:  Nor  were  either  of  these  Witnesses  made  use  of 
as  evidences  in  the  Trial. 

VI.  There  came  in  several  Testimonies  relating  to  the 
Domestick  Affayrs  of  G.  B.  which  had  a  very  hard  Aspect 
upon  him;  and  not  only  prov'd  him  a  very  ill  man;  but  also 
confirmed  the  Belief  of  the  Character,  which  had  been  already 
fastned  on  him. 

'Twas  testifyed,  That  keeping  his  two  Successive  Wives  in 
a  strange  kind  of  Slavery,  he  would  when  he  came  home  from 
abroad  pretend  to  tell  the  Talk  which  any  had  with  them; 
That  he  has  brought  them  to  the  point  of  Death,  by  his  Harsh 
Dealings  with  his  Wives,  and  then  made  the  People  about  him 
to  promise  that  in  Case  Death  should  happen,  they  would  say 
nothing  of  it;  That  he  used  all  means  to  make  his  Wives 
Write,  Sign,  Seal,  and  Swear  a  Covenant,  never  to  Reveal 
any  of  his  Secrets;  That  his  Wives  had  privately  complained 
unto  the  Neighbours  about  frightful  Apparitions  of  Evil 
Spirits,  with  which  their  House  was  sometimes  infested;  and 
v  that  many  such  things  have  been  Whispered  among  the 
^Neighbourhood.  There  were  also  some  other  Testimonies,  re- 
lating to  the  Death  of  People,  whereby  the  Consciences  of  an 
Impartial  Jury  were  convinced  that  G.  B.  had  Bewitched  the 
persons  mentioned  in  the  Complaints.  But  I  am  forced  to 
omit  several  passages,  in  this,  as  well  as  in  all  the  succeeding 


I69i<  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  221 

Trials,  because  the  Scribes  who  took  Notice  of  them,  have  not 
Supplyed  me. 

VII.  One  Mr.  Ruck,  Brother  in  Law  to  this  G.  B.,  Testi- 
fy'd,  that  G.  B.  and  he  himself,  and  his  Sister,  who  was  G.  B's 
Wife,  going  out  for  Two  or  three  Miles  to  gather  Straw-Berries, 
Ruck  with  his  Sister  the  Wife  of  G.  B.  Rode  home  very  Softly, 
with  G.  B.  on  Foot  in  their  Company.     G.  B.  stept  aside  a 
little  into  the  Bushes;   Whereupon  they  Halted  and  Halloo'd 
for  him.    He  not  answering,  they  went  away  homewards,  with 
a  Quickened  pace,  without  any  expectation  of  seeing  him  in 
a  considerable  while;  and  yet  when  they  were  got  near  home, 
to  their  Astonishment  they  found  him  on  foot  with  them, 
having  a  Basket  of  Straw-Berries.     G.  B.  immediately  then 
fell  to  chiding  his  Wife,  on  the  account  of  what  she  had  been 
speaking  to  her  Brother,  of  him,  on  the  Road :  which  when  they 
wondred  at,  he  said,  He  knew  their  thoughts.    Ruck  being 
startled  at  that,  made  some  Reply,  intimating  that  the  Devil 
himself  did  not  know  so  far;   but  G.  B.  answered,  My  God   £ 
makes  known  your  Thoughts  unto  me.    The  prisoner  now  at 
the  Barr  had  nothing  to  answer,  unto  what  was  thus  Witnessed 
against  him,  that  was  worth  considering.     Only  he  said,  Ruck 
and  his  Wife  left  a  Man  with  him,  when  they  left  him.    Which 
Ruck  now  affirm'd  to  be  false;   and  when  the  Court  asked 
G.  B.  What  the  Man's  Name  was?  his  countenance  was  much 
altered;  nor  could  he  say,  who  'twas.     But  the  Court  began  t~. 
to  think,  that  he  then  step'd  aside,  only  that  by  the  assistance 

of  the  Black  Man,  he  might  put  on  his  Invisibility,  and  in  that 
Fascinating  Mist,  gratifie  his  own  Jealous  humour,  to  hear  -" 
what  they  said  of  him.  Which  trick  of  rendring  themselves 
Invisible,  our  Witches  do  in  their  confessions  pretend  that  they 
sometimes  are  Masters  of;  and  it  is  the  more  credible,  because 
there  is  Demonstration  that  they  often  render  many  other 
things  utterly  Invisible. 

VIII.  Faltring,  Faulty,  unconstant,  and  contrary  Answers 
upon  Judicial  and  deliberate  examination,  are  counted  some 
unlucky  symptoms  of  guilt,  in  all  crimes,  Especially  in  Witch- 
crafts.1   Now  there  never  was  a  prisoner  more  Eminent  for^ 
them,  than  G.  B.  both  at  his  Examination  and  on  his  Trial. 

1  He  is  quoting  John  Gaule — the  first  of  his  "more  certain"  signs  (Select 
Cases,  pp.  80-81). 


222         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       U692 

His  Tergiversations,  Contradictions,  and  Falsehoods,  were  very 
sensible :  he  had  little  to  say,  but  that  he  had  heard  some  things 
that  he  could  not  prove,  Reflecting  upon  the  Reputation  of 
some  of  the  witnesses.  Only  he  gave  in  a  paper  to  the  Jury; 
wherein,  altho'  he  had  many  times  before  granted,  not  only 
that  there  are  Witches,  but  also  that  the  present  sufferings  of 
the  Countrey  are  the  Effect  of  horrible  Witchcrafts,  yet  he 
now  goes  to  evince  it,  That  there  neither  are,  nor  ever  were 
Witches,  that  having  made  a  compact  with  the  Divel,  Can 
send  a  Divel  to  Torment  other  people  at  a  distance.  This 
paper  was  Transcribed  out  of  Ady;1  which  the  Court  pres- 
ently2 knew,  as  soon  as  they  heard  it.  But  he  said,  he  had 
taken  none  of  it  out  of  any  Book;  for  which,  his  evasion  after- 
wards was,  that  a  Gentleman  gave  him  the  discourse  in  a 
manuscript,  from  whence  he  Transcribed  it. 

IX.  The  Jury  brought  him  in  guilty :  But  when  he  came 
to  Dy,  he  utterly  deny'd  the  Fact,  whereof  he  had  been  thus 
convicted.3 

1  Thomas  Ady,  A  Candle  in  the  Dark  (London,  1656)— reprinted  in  1661  as 
"  A  Perfect  Discovery  of  Witches.  In  neither  edition  are  precisely  these  words  to 
be  found;  but  their  substance  occurs  often.  How  bold  and  thoroughgoing  a 
skeptic  is  Ady,  and  why  Mather  counts  it  answer  enough  that  the  passage  was 
taken  from  his  book,  may  be  guessed  from  his  opening  sentence  in  which  he  gives 
"The  Reason  of  the  Book" :  "The  Grand  Errour  of  these  latter  Ages  is  ascribing 
power  to  Witches,  and  by  foolish  imagination  of  mens  brains,  without  grounds  in 
the  Scriptures,  wrongful!  killing  of  the  innocent  under  the  name  of  Witches." 
"When  one  Mr.  Burroughs,  a  Clergyman,  who  some  few  years  since  was  hang'd 
in  New-England  as  a  Wizzard,  stood  upon  his  Tryal,"  wrote  Dr.  Hutchinson  in 
1718  in  the  book  that  was  to  end  the  controversy  (Historical  Essay  concerning 
Witchcraft,  p.  xv),  "he  pull'd  out  of  his  Pocket  a  Leaf  that  he  had  got  of  Mr. 
Ady's  Book,  to  prove  that  the  Scripture  Witchcrafts  were  not  like  ours :  And  as 
that  Defence  was  not  able  to  save  him,  I  humbly  offer  my  Book  as  an  Argument 
on  the  Behalf  of  all  such  miserable  People." 

1  "Presently"  then  meant  "at  once." 

1  For  details  as  to  his  execution  see  above,  p.  177,  and  below,  pp.  360-361. 
Before  accepting  in  perfect  faith  Mather's  account  of  his  trial,  one  should  weigh 
not  only  the  comments  of  Calef  (see  pp.  378-380,  below)  and  the  severer  criti- 
cisms of  Upham  (Salem  Witchcraft  and  Cotton  Mather)  but  the  extant  records 
(Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft,  II.  109-128;  Mass.  Hist  Soc.,  Proceedings,  1860- 
1862,  pp.  31-37;  indictment,  Calef,  p.  113). 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  223 


II.     The  Tryal  of  Bridget  Bishop,1  alias  Oliver,  At  the  Court  of 
Oyer  and  Terminer  Held  at  Salem,  June  2,  1692. 

I.  She  was  Indicted  for  Bewitching  of  several  persons  in 
the  Neighbourhood,  the  Indictment  being  drawn  up,  accord- 
ing to  the  Form  in  such  Cases  usual.    And  pleading,  Not 
Guilty,  there  were  brought  in  several  persons,  who  had  long 
undergone  many  kinds  of  Miseries,  which  were  preternaturally 
Inflicted,  arid  generally  ascribed  unto  an  horrible  Witchcraft. 
There  was  little  Occasion  to  prove  the  Witchcraft,  it  being 
Evident  and  Notorious  to  all  Beholders.    Now  to  fix  the  Witch- 
craft on  the  Prisoner  at  the  Bar,  the  first  thing  used,  was  the 
Testimony  of  the  Bewitched;  whereof  several  Testify 'd,  That 
the  Shape  of  the  Prisoner  did  oftentimes  very  grievously  pinch 
them,  choak  them,  Bite  them,  and  Afflict  them;  urging  them 
to  write  their  Names  in  a  Book,  which  the  said  Spectre  called, 
Ours.    One  of  them  did  further  Testify,  that  it  was  the  Shape 
of  this  Prisoner,  with  another,  which  one  Day  took  her  from 
her  Wheel,  and  carrying  her  to  the  River  side,  threatned  there 
to  Drown  her,  if  she  did  not  Sign  to  the  Book  mentioned: 
which  yet  she  refused.    Others  of  them  did  also  Testify,  that 
the  said  Shape  did  in  her  Threats  brag  to  them  that  she  had 
been  the  Death  of  sundry  persons,  then  by  her  Named;  that 
she  had  Ridden  a  man  then  likewise  Named.    Another  Testi- 
fy'd  the  Apparition  of  Ghosts  unto  the  Spectre  of  Bishon, 
crying  out,  You  Murdered  us!    About  the  Truth  whereoi 
there  wras  in  the  matter  of  Fact  but  too  much  Suspicion.  ^ 

II.  It  was  Testify'd,  That  at  the  Examination  of  the 
Prisoner  before  the  Magistrates,  the  Bewitched  were  extreamly 
Tortured.     If  she  did  but  cast  her  Eyes  on  them,  they  were 
presently  struck  down;   and  this  in  such  a  manner  as  there 
could  be  no  Collusion  in  the  Business.    But  upon  the  Touch 
of  her  Hand  upon  them,  when  they  lay  in  their  Swoons,  they 
would  immediately  Revive;  and  not  upon  the  Touch  of  any 
ones  else.    Moreover,  upon  some  Special  Actions  of  her  Body, 

xAs  to  Bridget  Bishop  see  also  pp.  249,  356,  below.  She  was  of  Salem 
Village,  where  she  kept  a  sort  of  wayside  tavern,  but  had  long  lived  in  the  town,  • 
and  still  held  property  there.  She  was  the  first  witch  to  be  tried  (June  2)  and 
executed  (June  10) — perhaps  because  she  had  so  long  been  under  suspicion. 
The  records  of  her  case  are  printed  in  Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft,  I.  135-172. 


224         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

as  the  shaking  of  her  Head,  or  the  Turning  of  her  Eyes,  they 
presently  and  painfully  fell  into  the  like  postures.  Aiid  many 
of  the  like  Accidents  now  fell  out,  while  she  was  at  the  Bar. 
One  at  the  same  time  testifying,  That  she  said,  She  could  not 
be  Troubled  to  see  the  Afflicted  thus  Tormented. 

III.  There  was  Testimony  likewise  brought  in,  that  a 
man  striking  once  at  the  place,  where  a  Bewitched  person  said, 
the  Shape  of  this  Bishop  stood,  the  Bewitched  cried  out,  that 
he  had  Tore  her  Coat,  in  the  place  then  particularly  specify 'd; 
and  the  Womans  Coat  was  found  to  be  Torn  in  that  very  place. 

IV.  One   Deliverance   Hobbs,   who  had   Confessed  her 
being  a  Witch,  was  now  Tormented  by  the  Spectres,  for  her 
Confession.   And  she  now  Testify'd,  That  this  Bishop  tempted 
her  to  Sign  the  Book  again,  and  to  Deny  what  she  had  Con- 
fess'd.    She  affirmed,  that  it  was  the  Shape  of  this  Prisoner, 
which  whipped  her  with  Iron  Rods,  to  compel  her  thereunto. 
And  she  affirmed,  that  this  Bishop  was  at  a  General  Meeting  of 
the  Witches,  in  a  Field  at  Salem- Village,  and  there  partook  of  a 
Diabolical  Sacrament  in  Bread  and  Wine  then  Administred! 

V.  To  render  it  further  Unquestionable,  that  the  prisoner 
at  the  Bar  was  the  Person  truly  charged  in  this  Witchcraft, 
there  were  produced  many  Evidences  of  other  Witchcrafts,  by 
her  perpetrated.    For  Instance,  John  Cook  testify'd,  that  about 
five  or  six  years  ago,  One  morning,  about  Sun-Rise,  he  was  in 
his  Chamber  assaulted  by  the  Shape  of  this  prisoner:  which 
Look'd  on  him,  grin'd  at  him,  and  very  much  hurt  him  with 
a  Blow  on  the  side  of  the  Head:  and  that  on  the  same  day, 
about  Noon,  the  same  Shape  walked  in  the  Room  where  he 
was,  and  an  Apple  strangely  flew  out  of  his  Hand,  into  the 
Lap  of  his  Mother,  six  or  eight  foot  from  him. 

VI.  Samuel  Gray  testify'd,  That  about  fourteen  years 
ago,  he  wak'd  on  a  Night,  and  saw  the  Room  where  he  lay 
full  of  Light;  and  that  he  then  saw  plainly  a  Woman  between 
the  Cradle  and  the  Bed-side,  which  look'd  upon  him.    He 
Rose,  and  it  vanished;  tho'  he  found  the  Doors  all  fast.    Look- 
ing out  at  the  Entry-Door,  he  saw  the  same  Woman,  in  the 
same  Garb  again;    and  said,  In  Gods  Name,  what  do  you 
come  for?    He  went  to  Bed,  and  had  the  same  Woman  again 
assaulting  him.    The  Child  in  the  Cradle  gave  a  great  schreech, 
and  the  Woman  Disappeared.    It  was  long  before  the  Child 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  225 

could  be  quieted;  and  tho'  it  were  a  very  likely  thriving  Child, 
yet  from  this  time  it  pined  away,  and  after  divers  months 
dy'd  in  a  sad  Condition.  He  knew  not  Bishop,  nor  her  Name; 
but  when  he  saw  her  after  this,  he  knew  by  her  Countenance, 
and  Apparrel,  and  all  Circumstances,  that  it  was  the  Apparix 
tion  of  this  Bishop  which  had  thus  troubled  him.  *^/ 

VII.  John  Bly  and  his  Wife  testify'd,  that  he  bought  a 
sow  of  Edward  Bishop,  the  Husband  of  the  prisoner;  and  was 
to  pay  the  price  agreed,  unto  another  person.    This  Prisoner 
being  Angry  that  she  was  thus  hindred  from  fingring  the 
money,  QuarrelPd  with  Bly.     Soon  after  which,  the  Sow  was 
taken  with  strange  Fits,  Jumping,  Leaping,  and  knocking  her 
head  against  the  Fence;  she  seem'd  Blind  and  Deaf,  and  would 
neither  eat  nor  be  suck'd.    Whereupon  a  neighbour  said,  she 
believed  the  Creature  was  Over-Looked;    and  sundry  other 
circumstances  concurred,  which  made  the  Deponents  Belive 
that  Bishop  had  Bewitched  it. 

VIII.  Richard  Coman  testify 'd,  that  eight  years  ago,  as 
he  lay  Awake  in  his  Bed,  with  a  Light  Burning  in  the  Room, 
he  was  annoy'd  with  the  Apparition  of  this  Bishop,  and  of 
two  more  that  were  strangers  to  him,  who  came  and  oppressed 
him  so,  that  he  could  neither  stir  himself,  nor  wake  any  one 
else,  and  that  he  was  the  night  after  molested  again  in  the 
like  manner;  the  said  Bishop  taking  him  by  the  Throat,  and 
pulling  him  almost  out  of  the  Bed.    His  kinsman  offered  for 
this  cause  to  lodge  with  him;  and  that  Night,  as  they  were 
Awake,  Discoursing  together,  this  Coman  was  once  more  vis- 
ited by  the  Guests  which  had  formerly  been  so  troublesome; 
his  kinsman  being  at  the  same  time  strook  speechless  and  un- 
able to  move  Hand  or  Foot.    He  had  laid  his  sword  by  him, 
which  these  unhappy  spectres  did  strive  much  to  wrest  from 
him;   only  he  held  too  fast  for  them.     He  then  grew  able  to 
call  the  People  of  his  house;   but  altho'  they  heard  him,  yet 
they  had  not  power  to  speak  or  stirr;  until  at  last,  one  of  the 
people  crying  out,  what's  the  matter?  the  spectres  all  vanished. 

IX.  Samuel  Shattock  testify'd,  That  in  the  Year  1680, 
this  Bridget  Bishop  often  came  to  his  house  upon  such  frivo- 
lous and  foolish  errands,  that  they  suspected  she  came  indeed 
with  a  purpose  of  mischief.     Presently  whereupon  his  eldest 
child,  which  was  of  as  promising  Health  and  Sense  as  any 


226         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

child  of  its  Age,  began  to  droop  exceedingly;  and  the  oftener 
that  Bishop  came  to  the  House,  the  worse  grew  the  Child.  As 
the  Child  would  be  standing  at  the  Door,  he  would  be  thrown 
and  bruised  against  the  Stones,  by  an  Invisible  Hand,  and  in 
like  sort  knock  his  Face  against  the  sides  of  the  House,  and 
bruise  it  after  a  miserable  manner.  Afterwards  this  Bishop 
would  bring  him  things  to  Dy,  whereof  he  could  not  Imagine 
any  use;  and  when  she  paid  him  a  piece  of  Money,  the  Purse 
and  Money  were  unaccountably  conveyed  out  of  a  Lock'd 
box,  and  never  seen  more.  The  Child  was  immediately  here- 
upon taken  with  terrible  fits,  whereof  his  Friends  thought  he 
would  have  dyed :  indeed  he  did  almost  nothing  but  cry  and 
Sleep  for  several  Months  together;  and  at  length  his  under- 
standing was  utterly  taken  away.  Among  other  Symptoms 
of  an  Inchantment  upon  him,  one  was,  that  there  was  a  Board 
in  the  Garden,  whereon  he  would  walk;  and  all  the  invitations 
in  the  world  could  never  fetch  him  off.  About  Seventeen  or 
Eighteen  years  after,  there  came  a  Stranger  to  Shattocks 
House,  who  seeing  the  Child,  said,  "This  poor  Child  is  Be- 
witched; and  you  have  a  Neighbour  living  not  far  off,  who  is 
a  Witch."  He  added,  "Your  Neighbour  has  had  a  falling  out 
with  your  Wife;  and  she  said  in  her  Heart,  your  Wife  is  a 
proud  Woman,  and  she  would  bring  down  her  Pride  in  this 
Child."  He  then  Remembred,  that  Bishop  had  parted  from 
his  Wife  in  muttering  and  menacing  Terms,  a  little  before  the 
Child  was  taken  111.  The  abovesaid  Stranger  would  needs 
carry  the  Bewitched  Boy  with  him  to  Bishops  House,  on  pre- 
tence of  buying  a  pot  of  Cyder.  The  Woman  Entertained 
him  in  furious  manner;  and  flew  also  upon  the  Boy,  scratching 
his  Face  till  the  Blood  came;  and  saying,  "Thou  Rogue,  what, 
dost  thou  bring  this  Fellow  here  to  plague  me?"  Now  it 
seems  the  Man  had  said,  before  he  went,  that  he  would  fetch 
Blood  of  her.  Ever  after  the  Boy  was  follow'd  with  grievous 
Fits,  which  the  Doctors  themselves  generally  ascribed  unto 
Witchcraft;  and  wherein  he  would  be  thrown  still  into  the 
Fire  or  the  Water,  if  he  were  not  constantly  look'd  after;  and 
it  was  verily  believed  that  Bishop  was  the  cause  of  it. 

X.  John  Louder  testify 'd,  that  upon  some  little  contro- 
versy with  Bishop  about  her  fowles,  going  well  to  Bed,  he  did 
awake  in  the  Night  by  moonlight,  and  did  see  clearly  the  like- 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  227 

ness  of  this  woman  grievously  oppressing  him;  in  which  miser- 
able condition  she  held  him,  unable  to  help  him  self,  till  near 
Day.  He  told  Bishop  of  this;  but  she  deny'd  it,  and  threatned 
him  very  much.  Quickly  after  this,  being  at  home  on  a  Lo^rds 
day,  with  the  doors  shutt  about  him,  he  saw  a  Black  Pig  jap- 
proach  him;  at  which  he  going  to  kick,  it  vanished  away. 
Immediately  after,  sitting  down,  he  saw  a  Black  thing  Jump 
in  at  the  Window,  and  come  and  stand  before  him.  The  Body 
was  like  that  of  a  Monkey,  the  Feet  like  a  Cocks,  but  the  Face 
much  like  a  mans.  He  being  so  extreemly  affrighted,  that  he 
could  not  speak,  this  Monster  spoke  to  him,  and  said,  "I  am 
a  Messenger  sent  unto  you,  for  I  understand  that  you  are  in 
some  Trouble  of  Mind,  and  if  you  will  be  ruled  by  me,  you  shall 
want  for  nothing  in  this  world."  Whereupon  he  endeavoured 
to  clap  his  hands  upon  it;  but  he  could  feel  no  substance, 
and  it  jumped  out  of  the  window  again;  but  immediately 
came  in  by  the  Porch,  though  the  Doors  were  shut,  and  said, 
"You  had  better  take  my  Counsel!"  He  then  struck  at  it 
with  a  stick,  but  struck  only  the  Groundsel,  and  broke  the 
Stick.  The  Arm  with  which  he  struck  was  presently  Disen- 
abled, and  it  vanished  away.  He  presently  went  out  at  the 
Back-Door,  and  spyed  this  Bishop,  in  her  Orchard,  going  to- 
ward her  House;  but  he  had  not  power  to  set  one  foot  forward 
unto  her.  Whereupon  returning  into  the  House,  he  was  im- 
mediately accosted  by  the  Monster  he  had  seen  before;  which 
Goblin  was  now  going  to  Fly  at  him;  whereat  he  cry'd  out, 
"The  whole  Armour  of  God  be  between  me  and  you!"  So  it 
sprang  back,  and  flew  over  the  Apple  Tree,  shaking  many 
Apples  off  the  Tree,  in  its  flying  over.  At  its  Leap,  it  flung 
Dirt  with  its  Feet  against  the  Stomach  of  the  Man;  whereon 
he  was  then  struck  Dumb,  and  so  continued  for  three  Days 
together.  Upon  the  producing  of  this  Testimony,  Bishop 
deny'd  that  she  knew  this  Deponent :  yet  their  two  Orchards 
joined,  and  they  had  often  had  their  Little  Quarrels  for  some 
years  together. 

XI.  William  Stacy  Testifyed,  That  receiving  Money  of 
this  Bishop,  for  work  done  by  him,  he  was  gone  but  a  matter 
of  Three  Rods  from  her,  and  looking  for  his  money,  found  it 
unaccountably  gone  from  him.  Some  time  after,  Bishop  asked 
him,  whether  his  Father  would  grind  her  grist  for  her?  He 


228         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

demanded  why?  she  Reply'd,  "Because  Folks  count  me  a 
Witch."  He  answered,  "No  Question,  but  he  will  grind  it 
for  you."  Being  then  gone  about  six  Rods  from  her,  with  a 
small  Load  in  his  Cart,  suddenly  the  Off-wheel  slump 't  and 
sunk  down  into  an  Hole  upon  plain  ground,  so  that  the  De- 
ponent was  forced  to  get  help  for  the  Recovering  of  the  wheel. 
But  stepping  Back  to  look  for  the  Hole  which  might  give  him 
this  disaster,  there  was  none  at  all  to  be  found.  Some  time 
after,  he  was  waked  in  the  Night;  but  it  seem'd  as  Light  as 
Day,  and  he  perfectly  saw  the  shape  of  this  Bishop  in  the  Room, 
Troubling  of  him;  but  upon  her  going  out,  all  was  Dark  again. 
He  charg'd  Bishop  afterwards  with  it,  and  she  deny'd  it  not; 
but  was  very  angry.  Quickly  after,  this  Deponent  having 
been  threatned  by  Bishop,  as  he  was  in  a  dark  Night  going 
to  the  Barn,  he  was  very  suddenly  taken  or  lifted  from  the 
ground,  and  thrown  against  a  stone  wall;  After  that,  he  was 
again  hoisted  up  and  thrown  down  a  Bank,  at  the  end  of  his 
House.  After  this  again,  passing  by  this  Bishop,  his  Horse 
with  a  small  load,  striving  to  Draw,  all  his  Gears  flew  to  pieces, 
and  the  Cart  fell  down;  and  this  deponent  going  then  to  lift 
a  Bag  of  corn,  of  about  two  Bushels,  could  not  budge  it  with 
all  his  might. 

Many  other  pranks  of  this  Bishops  this  Deponent  was 
Ready  to  testify.  He  also  testify'd,  that  he  verily  Believed, 
the  said  Bishop  was  the  Instrument  of  his  Daughter  Priscilla's 
Death;  of  which  suspicion,  pregnant  Reasons  were  assigned. 

XII.  To  Crown  all,  John  Bly  and  William  Bly  Testify'd, 
That    being   Employ'd    by    Bridget    Bishop,   to   help    take 
down  the   Cellar-wall  of  the  old  House,  wherein  she  for- 
merly Lived,  they  did  in  Holes  of  the  said  old  Wall  find  several 
Poppets,1  made  up  of  Rags  and  Hogs  Brussels,  with  Headless 
Pins  in  them,  the  Points  being  outward.     Whereof  she  could 
give  no  Account  unto  the  Court,  that  was  Reasonable  or 
Tolerable. 

XIII.  One  thing  that  made  against  the  Prisoner  was,  her 
being  evidently  convicted  of  Gross  Lying  in  the  Court,  several 
Times,  while  she  was  making  her  Plea.    But  besides  this,  a 

'Supposed,  of  course,  by  her  accusers  to  be  such  "images"  as  witches  were 
alleged  to  make  of  their  victims,  for  the  sake  of  torturing  them  by  proxy.  (See 
above,  p.  163,  note  1,  p.  219,  and  below,  p.  440,  note  1.) 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  229 

Jury  of  Women  found  a  preternatural  Teat  upon  her  Body;1 
but  upon  a  second  search,  within  Three  or  four  hours,  there 
was  no  such  thing  to  be  seen.  There  was  also  an  account  of 
other  people  whom  this  woman  had  afflicted.  And  there  might 
have  been  many  more,  if  they  had  been  enquired  for.  But 
there  was  no  need  of  them. 

XIV.  There  was  one  very  strange  thing  more,  with  which 
the  Court  was  newly  Entertained.  As  this  Woman  was,  under 
a  Guard,  passing  by  the  Great  and  Spacious  Meeting-House 
of  Salem,  she  gave  a  Look  towards  the  House.  And  immedi- 
ately a  Daemon  Invisibly  Entring  the  Meeting-house,  Tore 
down  a  part  of  it;  so  that  tho'  there  were  no  person  to  be  seen 
there,  yet  the  people  at  the  Noise  running  in,  found  a  Board, 
which  was  strongly  fastned  with  several  Nails,  transported 
unto  another  quarter  of  the  House. 


III.     The  Tryal  of  Susanna  Martin,2  At  the  Court  of  Oyer  and 
Terminer,  Held  by  Adjournment  at  Salem,  June  29,  1692. 

I.  Susanna  Martin,  pleading  Not  Guilty  to  the  Indict- 
ment of  Witchcraft  brought  in  against  her,  there  were  pro- 
duced the  evidences  of  many  persons  very  sensibly  and  griev- 
ously Bewitched;   who  all  complaned  of  the  prisoner  at  the 
Bar,  as  the  person  whom  they  Believed  the  cause  of  their 
Miseries.    And  now,  as  well  as  in  the  other  Trials,  there  was 
an  extraordinary  endeavour  by  Witchcrafts,  with  Cruel  and 
Frequent  Fits,  to  hinder  the  poor  sufferers  from  giving  in 
their  complaints;    which  the  Court  was  forced  with  much 
patience  to  obtain,  by  much  waiting  and  watching  for  it. 

II.  There  was  now  also  an  Account  given,  of  what  passed 
at  her  first  examination  before  the  Magistrates.    The  cast  of 
her  eye  then  striking  the  Afflicted  People  to  the  ground, 
whether  they  saw  that  Cast  or  no;   there  were  these  among 
other  passages  between  the  Magistrates  and  the  Examinate. 

Magistrate.    Pray,  what  ails  these  People? 
Martin.    I  don't  know. 

1See  below,  p.  436,  and  note  1. 

2  Of  Amesbury.     She  too  had  been  long  accused.     For  the  trial  records  see 
Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft,  I.  193-233.    She  was  executed  on  July  19. 


230         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

Magistrate.    But  what  do  you  think  ails  them? 

Martin.     I  don't  desire  to  spend  my  Judgment  upon  it. 

Magistrate.    Don't  you  think  they  are  Bewitch'd? 

Martin.    No,  I  do  not  think  they  are. 

Magistrate.    Tell  us  your  thoughts  about  them  then. 

Martin.  No,  my  thoughts  are  my  own  when  they  are  in, 
but  when  they  are  out,  they  are  anothers.  Their  Master— 

Magistrate.  Their  Master?  who  do  you  think  is  their 
Master? 

Martin.  If  they  be  dealing  in  the  Black  Art,  you  may 
know  as  well  as  I. 

Magistrate.    Well,  what  have  you  done  towards  this? 

Martin.    Nothing  at  all. 

Magistrate.    Why,  tis  you  or  your  Appearance. 

Martin.    I  cannot  help  it. 

Magistrate.  Is  it  not  Your  Master?  How  comes  your 
Appearance  to  hurt  these? 

Martin.  How  do  I  know?  He  that  appeared  in  the  shape 
of  Samuel,  a  Glorify'd  Saint,  may  Appear  in  any  ones  shape. 

It  was  then  also  noted  in  her,  as  in  others  like  her,  that  if 
the  Afflicted  went  to  approach  her,  they  were  flung  down  to 
the  Ground.  And,  when  she  was  asked  the  Reason  of  it,  she 
said,  "I  cannot  tell;  it  may  be,  the  Devil  bears  me  more 
Malice  than  another." 

III.  The  Court  accounted  themselves  Alarum'd  by  these 
things,  to  Enquire  further  into  the  Conversation  of  the  Pris- 
oner; and  see  what  there  might  occur,  to  render  these  Accusa- 
tions further  credible.  /JVhereupon,  John  Allen,  of  Salisbury, 
testify 'd,  That  he  refusing,  because  of  the  weakness  of  his 
Oxen,  to  Cart  some  Staves,  at  the  request  of  this  Martin,  she 
was  displeased  at  it;  and  said,  "It  had  been  as  good  that  he 
had;  for  his  Oxen  should  never  do  him  much  more  Service." 
Whereupon  this  Deponent  said,  "  Dost  thou  threaten  me,  thou 
old  Witch?  I'l  throw  thee  into  the  Brook" :  Which  to  avoid, 
she  flew  over  the  Bridge,  and  escaped.  But,  as  he  was  going 
home,  one  of  his  Oxen  Tired,  so  that  he  was  forced  to  Unyoke 
him,  that  he  might  get  him  home.  He  then  put  his  Oxen, 
with  many  more,  upon  Salisbury  Beach,  where  Cattle  did  use 
to  get  Flesh.  In  a  few  days,  all  the  Oxen  upon  the  Beach 
were  found  by  their  Tracks,  to  have  run  unto  the  mouth  of 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  231 

Merrimack-River,  and  not  returned;  but  the  next  day  they 
were  found  come  ashore  upon  Plum-Island-T  They  that  sought 
them  used  all  imaginable  gentleness,  but  They  would  still  run 
away  with  a  violence  that  seemed  wholly  Diabolical,  till  they 
came  near  the  mouth  of  Merrimack-River;  when  they  ran 
right  into  the  Sea,  swimming  as  far  as  they  could  be  seen. 
One  of  them  then  swam  back  again,  with  a  swiftness  amazing 
to  the  Beholders,  who  stood  ready  to  receive  him,  and  help 
up  his  Tired  Carcass :  But  the  Beast  ran  furiously  up  into  the 
Island,  and  from  thence,  through  the  Marishes,  up  into  New- 
bury  Town,  and  so  up  into  the  Woods;  and  there  after  a 
while  found  near  Amesbury.  So  that,  of  Fourteen  good  Oxen, 
there  was  only  this  saved :  the  rest  were  all  cast  up,  some  in 
one  place,  and  some  in  another,  Drowned. 

IV.  John  Atkinson  Testify 'd,  That  he  Exchanged  a  Cow 
with  a  Son  of  Susanna  Martins,  whereat  she  muttered,  and 
was  unwilling  he  should  have  it.     Going  to  Receive  this  Cow, 
tho'  he  Hamstring'd  her,  and  Halter'd  her,  she  of  a  Tame 
Creature  grew  so  mad,  that  they  could  scarce  get  her  along. 
She  broke  all  the  Ropes  that  were  fastned  unto  her,  and  though 
she  were  Ty'd  fast  unto  a  Tree,  yet  she  made  her  Escape,  and 
gave  them  such  further  Trouble,  as  they  could  ascribe  to  no 
cause  but  Witchcraft. 

V.  Bernard  Peache  testify'd,  That  being  in  Bed  on  a 
Lords-day  Night,  he  heard  a  scrabbling  at  the  Window,  whereat 
he  then  saw  Susanna  Martin  come  in,  and  jump  down  upon  the 
Floor.     She  took  hold  of  this  Deponents  Feet,  and  drawing  his 
Body  up  into  an  Heap,  she  lay  upon  him  near  Two  Hours;  in 
all  which  time  he  could  neither  speak  nor  stirr.    At  length, 
when  he  could  begin  to  move,  he  laid  hold  on  her  Hand,  and 
pulling  it  up  to  his  mouth,  he  bit  three  of  her  Fingers,  as  he 
judged,  unto  the  Bone.     Whereupon  she  went  from  the  Cham- 
ber, down  the  Stairs,  out  at  the  Door.    This  Deponent  there- 
upon called  unto  the  people  of  the  House,  to  advise  them  of 
what  passed;  and  he  himself  did  follow  her.    The  people  saw 
her  not;   but  there  being  a  Bucket  at  the  Left-hand  of  the 
Door,  there  was  a  drop  of  Blood  found  on  it;  and  several  moi 
drops  of  Blood  upon  the  Snow  newly  fallen  abroad.     There 
was  likewise  the  print  of  her  two  Feet  just  without  the  Thresh- 
old; but  no  more  sign  of  any  Footing  further  off. 


232         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

At  another  time  this  Deponent  was  desired  by  the  Prisoner, 
to  come  unto  an  Husking  of  Corn,  at  her  House;  and  she  said, 
If  he  did  not  come,  it  were  better  that  he  did !  He  went  not ; 
but  the  Night  following,  Susanna  Martin,  as  he  judged,  and 
another  came  towards  him.  One  of  them  said,  "Here  he  is!" 
but  he  having  a  Quarter-staff,  made  a  Blow  at  them.  The 
Roof  of  the  Barn  broke  his  Blow;  but  following  them  to  the 
Window,  he  made  another  Blow  at  them,  and  struck  them 
down;  yet  they  got  up,  and  got  out,  and  he  saw  no  more  of 
them. 

About  this  time,  there  was  a  Rumour  about  the  Town,  that 
Martin  had  a  Broken  Head;  but  the  Deponent  could  say 
nothing  to  that. 

The  said  Peache  also  testify'd  the  Bewitching  of  Cattle  to 
Death,  upon  Martin's  Discontents. 

VI.  Robert  Downer  testifyed,  That  this  Prisoner  being 
some  years  ago  prosecuted  at  Court  for  a  Witch,1  he  then 
said  unto  her,  He  believed  she  was  a  Witch.  Whereat  she 
being  dissatisfied,  said,  That  some  Shee-Devil  would  Shortly 
fetch  him  away!  Which  words  were  heard  by  others,  as  well 
as  himself.  The  Night  following,  as  he  lay  in  his  Bed,  there 
came  in  at  the  Window  the  likeness  of  a  Cat,  which  Flew  upon 
him,  took  fast  hold  of  his  Throat,  lay  on  him  a  considerable 
while,  and  almost  killed  him.  At  length  he  remembred  what 
Susanna  Martin  had  threatned  the  Day  before;  and  with 
much  striving  he  cryed  out,  "Avoid,  thou  Shee-Devil!  In  the 
Name  of  God  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  Avoid ! " 
Whereupon  it  left  him,  leap'd  on  the  Floor,  and  Flew  out  at  the 
Window. 

And  there  also  came  in  several  Testimonies,  that  before 
ever  Downer  spoke  a  word  of  this  Accident,  Susanna  Martin 
and  her  Family  had  related,  How  this  Downer  had  been 
Dandled! 

T — VII.    John  Kembal  testifyed,  that  Susanna  Martin,  upon 
p,  Causeless  Disgust,  had  threatned  him,  about  a  certain  Cow 

his,  That  she  should  never  do  him  any  more  Good :  and  it 


1  In  1669.  She  was  then  bound  over  to  the  Superior  Court,  but  was  dis- 
charged without  trial.  (Hutchinson,  History  of  Massachusetts,  II.,  ch.  I.,  as 
published  from  an  earlier  draft,  with  notes  by  W.  F.  Poole,  in  N.  E,  Hist,  and 
Gen.  Register,  XXIV.) 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  233 

came  to  pass  accordingly.  For  soon  after  the  Cow  was  found 
stark  Dead  on  the  dry  Ground,  without  any  Distemper  to  be 
discerned  upon  her.  Upon  which  he  was  followed  with  a 
strange  Death  upon  more  of  his  Cattle,  whereof  he  lost  in 
One  Spring  to  the  value  of  Thirty  Pounds.  But  the  said  John 
Kembal  had  a  further  Testimony  to  give  in  against  the  Pris- 
oner which  was  truly  admirable. 

Being  desirous  to  furnish  himself  with  a  Dog,  he  applied 
himself  to  buy  one  of  this  Martin,  who  had  a  Bitch  with  Whelps 
in  her  House.  But  she  not  letting  him  have  his  Choice,  he 
said,  he  would  supply  himself  then  at  one  Blezdels.  Having 
mark'd  a  puppy  which  he  lik'd  at  Blezdels,  he  met  George 
Martin,  the  Husband  of  the  prisoner,  going  by,  who  asked 
him,  Whether  he  would  not  have  one  of  his  Wives  Puppies? 
and  he  answered,  No.  The  same  Day,  one  Edmund  Eliot, 
being  at  Martins  House,  heard  George  Martin  relate,  where 
this  Kembal  had  been,  and  what  he  had  said.  Whereupon 
Susanna  Martin  replyed,  "If  I  live,  I'll  give  him  Puppies 
enough!"  Within  a  few  Dayes  after,  this  Kembal  coming 
out  of  the  Woods,  there  arose  a  little  Black  Cloud  in  the  N.W. 
and  Kembal  immediately  felt  a  Force  upon  him,  which  made 
him  not  able  to  avoid  running  upon  the  stumps  of  Trees,  that 
were  before  him,  albeit  he  had  a  broad,  plain  Cart  way,  before 
him;  but  tho'  he  had  his  Ax  also  on  his  Shoulder  to  endanger 
him  in  his  Falls,  he  could  not  forbear  going  out  of  his  way  to 
tumble  over  them.  When  he  came  below  the  Meeting-House, 
there  appeared  unto  him  a  little  thing  like  a  Puppy,  of  a  Dark- 
ish Colour;  and  it  shot  backwards  and  forwards  between  his 
Legs.  He  had  the  Courage  to  use  all  possible  Endeavours 
of  Cutting  it  with  his  Ax;  but  he  could  not  Hit  it;  the  Puppy 
gave  a  jump  from  him,  and  went,  as  to  him  it  seem'd,  into  the 
Ground.  Going  a  little  further,  there  appeared  unto  him  a 
Black  Puppy,  somewhat  bigger  than  the  first,  but  as  Black 
as  a  Cole.  Its  motions  were  quicker  than  those  of  his  Ax; 
it  Flew  at  his  Belly,  and  away;  then  at  his  Throat;  so,  over  his 
Shoulder  one  way,  and  then  over  his  Shoulder  another  way. 
His  heart  now  began  to  fail  him,  and  he  thought  the  Dog 
would  have  Tore  his  Throat  out.  But  he  recovered  himself, 
and  called  upon  God  in  his  Distress;  and  Naming  the  Name  of 
Jesus  Christ,  it  Vanished  away  at  once.7  The  Deponent  Spoke 


234         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

£not  one  Word  of  these  Accidents,  for  fear  of  affrighting  his 
wife.  But  the  next  Morning,  Edmond  Eliot  going  into  Mar- 
tins House,  this  woman  asked  him  where  Kembal  was?  He 
Replyed,  At  home,  a  bed,  for  ought  he  knew.  She  returned, 
"They  say,  he  was  frighted  last  Night."  Eliot  asked,  "With 
what?"  She  answered,  "With  Puppies."  Eliot  asked,  Where 
she  heard  of  it,  for  he  had  heard  nothing  of  it?  She  rejoined, 
"About  the  Town."  Altho'  Kembal  had  mentioned  the 
Matter  to  no  Creature  Living. 

VIII.  William    Brown    testify'd,    that    Heaven    having 
blessed  him  with  a  most  Pious  and  prudent  wife,  this,  wife  of 
his  one  day  mett  with  Susanna  Martin;   but  when  she  ap- 
proch'd  just  unto  her,  Martin  vanished  out  of  sight,  and  left 
her  extremely  affrighted.    After  which  time,  the  said  Martin 
often  appear'd  unto  her,  giving  her  no  little  trouble;   and 
when  she  did  come,  she  was  visited  with  Birds  that  sorely 
peck't  and  Prick'd  her;  and  sometimes  a  Bunch,  like  a  pullets 
egg,  would  Rise  in  her  throat,  ready  to  Choak  her,  till  she  cry'd 
out,  "Witch,  you  shan't  choak  me!"    While  this  good  Woman 
was  in  this  Extremity,  the  Church  appointed  a  Day  of  Prayer, 
on  her  behalf;   whereupon  her  Trouble  ceas'd;   she  saw  not 
Martin  as  formerly;   and  the  Church,  instead  of  their  Fast, 
gave  Thanks  for  her  Deliverance.    But  a  considerable  while 
after,  she  being  Summoned  to  give  hi  some  Evidence  at  the 
Court,  against  this  Martin,  quickly  thereupon  this  Martin 
came  behind  her,  while  she  was  milking  her  Cow,  and  said 
unto  her,  "For  thy  defaming  me  at  Court,  I'l  make  thee  the 
miserablest  Creature  in  the  World."    Soon  after  which,  she 
fell  into  a  strange  kind  of  Distemper,  and  became  horribly 
Frantick,   and   uncapable   of  any   Reasonable  Action;    the 
Physicians  declaring,  that  her  Distemper  was  preternatural, 
and  that  some  Devil  had  certainly  Bewitched  her;  and  in  that 
Condition  she  now  remained. 

IX.  Sarah  Atkinson  testify'd,  That  Susanna  Martin  came 
from  Amesbury  to  their  House  at  Newbury,  in  an  extraordinary 
Season,  when  it  was  not  fit  for  any  one  to  Travel.    She  came 
(as  she  said  unto  Atkinson)  all  that  long  way  on  Foot.    She 
brag'd  and  show'd  how  dry  she  was;  nor  could  it  be  perceived 
that  so  much  as  the  Soles  of  her  Shoes  were  wet.    Atkinson 
was  amazed  at  it ;  and  professed,  that  she  should  her  self  have 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  235 

been  wet  up  to  the  knees,  if  she  had  then  came  so  far;  but 
Martin  reply'd,  She  scorn'd  to  be  Drabbled!  It  was  noted, 
that  this  Testimony  upon  her  Trial  cast  her  in  a  very  singular 
Confusion. 

X.  John  Pressy  testify'd,  That  being  one  Evening  very 
unaccountably  Bewildred,  near  a  field  of  Martins,  and  several 
times,  as  one  under  an  Enchantment,  returning  to  the  place 
he  had  left,  at  length  he  saw  a  marvellous  Light,  about  the 
Bigness  of  an  Half-Bushel,  near  two  Rod  out  of  the  way. 
He  went,  and  struck  at  it  with  a  Stick,  and  laid  it  on  with  all 
his  might.  He  gave  it  near  forty  blows;  and  felt  it  a  palpable 
substance.  But  going  from  it,  his  Heels  were  struck  up,  and 
he  was  laid  with  his  Back  on  the  Ground,  Sliding,  as  he  thought, 
into  a  Pit;  from  whence  he  recover'd,  by  taking  hold  on  the 
Bush;  altho'  afterwards  he  could  find  no  such  Pit  in  the  place. 
Having,  after  his  Recovery,  gone  five  or  six  Rod,  he  saw  Su- 
sanna Martin  standing  on  his  Left-hand,  as  the  Light  had  done 
before;  but  they  changed  no  words  with  one  another.  He 
could  scarce  find  his  House  in  his  Return;  but  at  length  he 
got  home,  extreamly  affrighted.  The  next  day,  it  was  upon 
Enquiry  understood,  that  Martin  was  in  a  miserable  condi- 
tion by  pains  and  hurts  that  were  upon  her. 

It  was  further  testify'd  by  this  Deponent,  That  after  he 
had  given  in  some  Evidence  against  Susanna  Martin,  many 
years  ago,  she  gave  him  foul  words  about  it;  and  said,  He  should 
never  prosper  more;  particularly,  That  he  should  never  have 
more  than  two  Cows;  that  tho'  he  were  never  so  likely  to  have 
more,  yet  he  should  never  have  them.  And  that  from  that 
very  Day  to  this,  namely  for  Twenty  Years  together,  he  could 
never  exceed  that  Number;  but  some  strange  thing  or  other 
still  prevented  his  having  of  any  more. 

XL  Jervis  Ring  testifyed,  that  about  seven  years  ago, 
he  was  oftentimes  and  grievously  Oppressed  in  the  Night, 
but  saw  not  who  Troubled  him,  until  at  last  he,  Lying  per- 
fectly Awake,  plainly  saw  Susanna  Martin  approach  him. 
She  came  to  him,  and  forceably  Bit  him  by  the  Finger;  so  that 
the  Print  of  the  Bite  is  now  so  long  after  to  be  seen  upon  him. 

XII.  But  besides  all  of  these  Evidences,  there  was  a 
most  wonderful  Account  of  one  Joseph  Ring,  produced  on 
this  Occasion. 


236         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

This  man  has  been  strangely  carried  about  by  Daemons, 
from  one  Witch-Meeting  to  another,  for  near  two  years  to- 
gether; and  for  one  Quarter  of  this  Time,  they  have  made 
him  and  kept  him  Dumb,  tho'  he  is  now  again  able  to  speak. 
There  was  one  T.  H.1  who  having,  as  tis  judged,  a  Design  of 
engaging  this  Joseph  Ring  in  a  Snare  of  Devillism,  contrived 
a  wile,  to  bring  this  Ring  two  Shillings  in  Debt  unto  him. 

Afterwards,  this  poor  man  would  be  visited  with  unknown 
shapes,  and  this  T.  H.  sometimes  among  them;  which  would 
force  him  away  with  them,  unto  unknown  Places,  where  he 
saw  meetings,  Feastings,  Dancings;  and  after  his  Return, 
wherein  they  hurried  him  along  thro'  the  Air,  he  gave  Demon- 
strations to  the  Neighbours,  that  he  had  indeed  been  so  trans- 
ported. When  he  was  brought  unto  these  Hellish  meetings, 
one  of  the  First  things  they  still 2  did  unto  him,  was  to  give 
him  a  knock  on  the  Back,  whereupon  he  was  ever  as  if  Bound 
with  Chains,  uncapable  of  Stirring  out  of  the  place,  till  they 
should  Release  him.  He  related,  that  there  often  came  to 
him  a  man,  who  presented  him  a  Book,  whereto  he  would  have 
him  set  his  Hand ;  promising  to  him,  that  he  should  then  have 
even  what  he  would;  and  presenting  him  with  all  the  Delecta- 
ble Things,  persons,  and  places,  that  he  could  imagine.  But 
he  refusing  to  subscribe,  the  business  would  end  with  dreadful 
Shapes,  Noises  and  Screeches,  which  almost  scared  him  out 
of  his  witts.  Once  with  the  Book,  there  was  a  Pen  offered 
him,  and  an  Inkhorn  with  Liquor  in  it,  that  seemed  like  Blood : 
but  he  never  toucht  it. 

This  man  did  now  affirm,  that  he  saw  the  Prisoner  at 
several  of  those  Hellish  Randezvouzes. 

Note,  This  Woman  was  one  of  the  most  Impudent,  Scur- 
rilous, wicked  creatures  in  the  world;  and  she  did  now  through- 
out her  whole  Trial  discover  herself  to  be  such  an  one.  Yet 
when  she  was  asked,  what  she  had  to  say  for  her  self?  her 
Cheef  Plea  was,  That  she  had  Led  a  most  virtuous  and  Holy 
Life! 

1  Thomas  Hardy,  of  Great  Island,  near  Portsmouth.    See  Records,  I.  216. 
1  Always. 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  237 


IV.     The  Trial  of  Elizabeth  How,1  at  the  Court  of  Oyer  and 
Terminer,  Held  by  Adjournment  at  Salem,  June  30,  1692. 

I.  Elizabeth  How  pleading  Not  Guilty  to  the  Indictment 
of  Witchcrafts,  then  charged  upon  her,  the  Court,  according 
to  the  usual  proceeding  of  the  Courts  in  England,  in  such  Cases, 
began  with  hearing  the  Depositions  of  Several  Afflicted  People, 
who  were  grievously  Tortured  by  sensible  and  evident  Witch- 
crafts, and  all  complained  of  the  Prisoner,  as  the  cause  of  their 
Trouble.    It  was  also  found  that  the  Sufferers  were  not  able 
to  bear  her  Look,  as  likewise,  that  in  their  greatest  Swoons, 
they  distinguished  her  Touch  from  other  peoples,  being  thereby 
raised  out  of  them. 

And  there  was  other  Testimony  of  people  to  whom  the 
shape  of  this  How  gave  trouble  Nine  or  Ten  years  ago. 

II.  It  has  been  a  most  usual  thing  for  the  Bewitched  per- 
sons, at  the  same  time  that  the  Spectres  representing  the 
Witches  Troubled  them,  to  be  visited  with  Apparitions  of 
Ghosts,  pretending  to  have  bin  Murdered  by  the  Witches  then 
represented.    And  sometimes  the  confessions  of  the  witches 
afterwards  acknowledged  those  very  Murders,  which  these 
Apparitions  charged  upon  them;  altho'  they  had  never  heard 
what  Informations  had  been  given  by  the  Sufferers. 

There  were  such  Apparitions  of  Ghosts  testified  by  some  of 
the  present  Sufferers,  and  the  Ghosts  affirmed  that  this  How 
had  Murdered  them :  which  things  were  Fear'd  but  not  prov'd. 

III.  This  How  had  made  some  Attempts  of  Joyning  to 
the  Church,  at  Ipswich,  several  years  ago ;  but  she  was  deny'd 
an  Admission  into  that  Holy  Society,  partly  through  a  sus- 
picion of  witchcraft,  then  urged  against  her.    And  there  now 
came  in  Testimony,  of  Preternatural  Mischiefs,  presently  be- 
falling some  that  had  been  Instrumental  to  Debar  her  from 
the  Communion,  whereupon  she  was  Intruding. 

1  Of  Ipswich.  For  the  touching  story  of  her  trial  and  of  the  loyalty  of  her 
blind  husband  and  her  daughters,  see  especially  Upham,  Salem  Witchcraft,  II. 
216-223,  and,  in  the  Historical  Collections  of  the  Topsfield  Historical  Society, 
XIII.  (1908),  the  study  on  "Topsfield  in  the  Witchcraft  Delusion,"  by  Mrs. 
Towne  and  Miss  Clark.  In  the  same  volume  (pp.  107-126)  Mr.  G.  F.  Dow  has 
published  the  records  of  her  case  more  completely  than  has  Woodward  in  Records 
of  Salem  Witchcraft  (II.  69-94).  She  was  executed  on  July  19. 


238         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

IV.  There  was  a  particular  Deposition  of  Joseph  Safford, 
That  his  Wife  had  conceived  an  extream  Aversion  to  this  How, 
on  the  Reports  of  her  Witchcrafts :  but  How  one  day,  taking 
her  by  the  hand,  and  saying,  "I  believe  you  are  not  Ignorant 
of  the  great  Scandal  that  I  ly  under,  by  an  evil  Report  Raised 
upon  me,"  She  immediately,  unreasonably,  and  unpers wade- 
ably,  even  like  one  Enchanted,  began  to  take  this  Womans 
part.    How  being  soon  after  propounded,  as  desiring  an  Ad- 
mission to  the  Table  of  the  Lord,  some  of  the  pious  Brethren 
were  unsatisfy'd  about  her.    The  Elders  appointed  a  Meeting 
to  hear  Matters  objected  against  her;   and  no  Arguments  in 
the  world  could  hinder  this  Goodwife  Safford  from  going  to 
the  Lecture.    She  did  indeed  promise,  with  much  ado,  that 
she  would  not  go  to  the  Church-Meeting,  yet  she  could  not 
refrain   going   thither   also.    How's   Affayrs   there   were  so 
Canvased,  that  she  came  off  rather  Guilty  than  Cleared;  never- 
theless Goodwife  Safford  could  not  forbear  taking  her  by  the 
Hand,  and  saying,  "Tho'  you  are  Condemned  before  men, 
you  are  Justify'd  before  God."    She  was  quickly  taken  in  a 
very  strange  manner,  Frantick,  Raving,  Raging  and  Crying 
out,  "  Goody  How  must  come  into  the  Church ;  she  is  a  precious 
Saint;  and  tho'  she  be  Condemned  before  Men,  she  is  Justi- 
fy'd before  God."    So  she  continued  for  the  space  of  two  or 
three  Hours;  and  then  fell  into  a  Trance.    But  coming  to  her 
self,  she  cry'd  out,  "Ha!    I  was  mistaken";   and  afterwards 
again  repeated,  "Ha!    I  was  mistaken!"    Being  asked  by  a 
stander  by,  "Wherein?"  She  replyed,  "I  thought  Goody  How 
had  been  a  Precious  Saint  of  God,  but  now  I  see  she  is  a  Witch. 
She  has  Bewitched  me,  and  my  Child,  and  we  shall  never  be 
well,  till  there  be  Testimony  for  her,  that  she  may  be  taken 
into  the  Church."    And  How  said  afterwards,  that  she  was 
very  Sony  to  see  Safford  at  the  Church-Meeting  mentioned. 
Safford  after  this  declared  herself  to  be  afflicted  by  the  Shape 
of  How;  and  from  that  Shape  she  endured  many  Miseries. 

V.  John  How,  Brother  to  the  Husband  of  the  prisoner 
testifyed,  that  he  refusing  to  accompany  the  prisoner  unto  her 
Examination,  as  was  by  her  desired,  immediately  some  of  his 
Cattle  were  Bewitched  to  Death,  Leaping  three  or  four  foot 
high,  turning  about,  Squeaking,  Falling,  and  Dying,  at  once; 
and  going  to  cut  off  an  Ear,  for  an  use  that  might  as  well  per- 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  239 

haps  have  been  Omitted,1  the  Hand  wherein  he  held  his  knife 
was  taken  very  Numb,  and  so  it  remained,  and  full  of  Pain, 
for  several  Dayes;  being  not  well  at  this  very  Time.  And  he 
suspected  this  prisoner  for  the  Author  of  it. 

VI.  Nehemiah  Abbot  testify'd,  that  unusual  and  mis- 
chievous Accidents  would  befal  his  cattle,  whenever  he  had 
any  Difference  with  this  Prisoner.     Once,  Particularly,  she 
wished  his  Oxe  Choaked;  and  within  a  Little  while  that  Oxe 
was  Choaked  with  a  Turnip  in  his  Throat.    At  another  time, 
refusing  to  lend  his  horse,  at  the  Request  of  her  Daughter,  the 
horse  was  in  a  Preternatural  manner  abused.    And  several 
other  Odd  Things  of  that  kind  were  testify'd. 

VII.  There  came  in  Testimony,  that  one  goodwife  Sher- 
win,  upon  some  Difference  with  How,  was  Bewitched,  and  that 
she  Dy'd,  Charging  this  How  of  having  an  Hand  in  her  Death. 
And  that  other  People  had  their  Barrels  of  Drink  unaccount- 
ably mischieved,  spoilt,  and  spilt,  upon  their  Displeasing  of 
her. 

The  things  in  themselves  were  Trivial;  but  there  being 
such  a  Course  of  them,  it  made  them  the  more  to  be  con- 
sidered. Among  others,  Martha  Wood  gave  her  Testimony, 
that  a  Little  after  her  Father  had  been  employ 'd  in  gathering 
an  Account  of  Howes  Conversation,  they  once  and  again  Lost 
Great  Quantities  of  Drink  out  of  their  Vessels,  in  such  a  man- 
ner, as  they  could  ascribe  to  nothing  but  Witchcraft.  As  also, 
that  How  giving  her  some  Apples,  when  she  had  eaten  of  them 
she  was  taken  with  a  very  strange  kind  of  a  maze,  insomuch 
that  she  knew  not  what  she  said  or  did. 

VIII.  There  was  Likewise  a  cluster  of  Depositions,  that 
one  Isaac  Cummings  refusing  to  lend  his  Mare  unto  the  Hus- 
band of  this  How,  the  mare  was  within  a  Day  or  two  taken  in 
a  strange  condition.    The  Beast  seemed  much  Abused;  being 

1  What  this  purpose  may  have  been  does  not  appear  in  the  evidence:  John 
How  testifies  merely  that  a  neighbor  who  had  laughed  at  him  for  thinking  the 
sow  bewitched  told  him  to  cut  off  her  ear,  "the  which  I  did."  It  was  doubtless 
to  burn  it,  as  a  means  to  detect  the  witch.  So,  Perkins  and  Gaule  say,  in  England 
it  was  a  practice  to  burn  the  thing  bewitched;  and  so  at  New  Haven,  in  1657, 
Thomas  Mullener  cut  off  the  tail  and  ear  of  a  pig  and  threw  them  into  the  fire 
to  find  out  the  witch  (Records  of  the  Colony  of  New  Haven,  II.  224).  The  belief 
was  that  the  person  who  then  first  came  to  the  fire  was  the  witch  (see  below, 
p.  411). 


240         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

Bruised,  as  if  she  had  been  Running  over  the  Rocks,  and 
marked  where  the  Bridle  went,  as  if  burnt  with  a  Red  hot 
Bridle.  Moreover,  one  using  a  Pipe  of  Tobacco  for  the  Cure 
of  the  Beast,  a  blew  Flame  issued  out  of  her,  took  hold  of  her 
Hair,  and  not  only  Spread  and  Burnt  on  her,  but  it  also  flew 
upwards  towards  the  Roof  of  the  Barn,  and  had  like  to  have 
set  the  Barn  on  Fire.  And  the  Mare  dy'd  very  suddenly. 

IX.  Timothy  Perley  and  his  Wife  Testify'd,  not  only 
that  unaccountable  Mischiefs  befel  their  Cattle,  upon  their 
having  of  Differences  with  this  Prisoner:   but  also,  that  they 
had  a  Daughter  destroy 'd  by  Witchcrafts;   which  Daughter 
still  charged  How  as  the  cause  of  her  Affliction;   and  it  was 
noted,  that  she  would  be  struck  down,  whenever  How  were 
spoken  of.    She  was  often  endeavoured  to  be  Thrown  into  the 
Fire,  and  into  the  Water,  in  her  strange  Fits :  tho'  her  Father 
had  Corrected  her  for  Charging  How  with  Bewitching  her,  yet 
(as  was  testify'd  by  others  also)  she  said,  she  was  sure  of  it, 
and  must  dy  standing  to  it.     Accordingly  she  Charged  How 
to  the  very  Death;  and  said,  Tho'  How  could  Afflict  and  Tor- 
ment her  Body,  yet  she  could  not  Hurt  her  Soul :  and,  That 
the  Truth  of  this  matter  would  appear,  when  she  should  be 
Dead  and  Gone. 

X.  Francis  Lane  testify'd,  That  being  hired  by  the  Hus- 
band of  this  How  to  get  him  a  parcel  of  Posts  and  Rails,  this 
Lane  hired  John  Pearly  to  assist  him.    This  Prisoner  then  told 
Lane,  that  she  believed  the  Posts  and  Rails  would  not  do,  be- 
cause John  Perley  helped  him;  but  that  if  he  had  got  them 
alone,  without  John  Pearlies  help,  they  might  have  done  well 
enough.    When  James  How  came  to  receive  his  Posts  and 
Rails  of  Lane,  How  taking  them  up  by  the  ends,  they,  tho' 
good  and  sound,  yet  unaccountably  broke  off,  so  that  Lane 
was  forced  to  get  Thirty  or  Forty  more.    And  this  Prisoner 
being  informed  of  it,  she  said,  she  told  him  so  before;  because 
Pearly  help'd  about  them. 

XL  Afterwards  there  came  in  the  Confessions  of  several 
other  (penitent)  Witches,  which  affirmed  this  How  to  be  one 
of  those,  who  with  them  had  been  baptized  by  the  Devil  in 
the  River  at  Newbery-Falls :  before  which,  he  made  them 
there  kneel  down  by  the  Brink  of  the  River  and  Worship  him. 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  241 


V.     The  Trial  of  Martha  Carrier,1  at  the  Court  of  Oyer  and  Ter- 
miner,  Held  by  Adjournment  at  Salem,  August  2,  1692. 

I.  Martha  Carrier  was  Indicted  for  the  Bewitching  of 
certain  Persons,  according  to  the  Form  usual  in  such  Cases. 
Pleading  Not  Guilty,  to  her  Indictment,  there  were  First 
brought  in  a  considerable  number  of  the  Bewitched  Persons; 
who  not  only  made  the  Court  sensible  of  an  horrid-Witchcraft 
committed  upon  them,  but  also  deposed,  That  it  was  Martha 
Carrier,  or  her  Shape,  that  GrievQUsly._Torm.ented  them,  by 
Biting,  Pricking,  Pinching,  and  Choaking  of  them.    It  was 
further  deposed,  that  while  this  Carrier  was  on  her  Examina- 
tion, before  the  Magistrates,  the  Poor  People  were  so  Tortured 
that  every  one  expected  their  Death  upon  the  very~Spott; 
but  that  upon  the  binding  of  Carrier  they  were  eased.     More- 
over the  Look  of  Carrier  then  laid  the  Afflicted  People  for 
Dead;  and  her  Touch,  if  her  Eye  at  the  same  Time  were  off 
them,  raised  them  again.     Which  things  were  also  now  seen 
upon  her  Trial.     And  it  was  Testifyed,  that  upon  the  mention 
of  some  having  their  Necks  twisted  almost  round,  by  the 
Shape  of  this  Carrier,  she  replyed,  "Its  no  matter,  tho'  their  a. 
Necks  had  been  twisted  quite  off." 

II.  Before  the  Trial  of  this  prisoner,  several  of  her  own 
Children  had  frankly  and  fully  confessed,  not  only  that  they 
were  Witches  themselves,  but  that  this  their  Mother  had  made 
them  so.    This  Confession  they  made  with  great  shows  of 
Repentance,  and  with  much  Demonstration  of  Truth.    They 
Related  Place,  Time,  Occasion;  they  gave  an  account  of  Jour- 
neyes,  Meetings,  and  Mischiefs  by  them  performed;  and  were 
very  credible  in  what  they  said.     Nevertheless,  this  Evidence 
was  not  produced  against  the  Prisoner  at  the  Bar,  inasmuch  as 
there  was  other  Evidence  enough  to  proceed  upon. 

III.  Benjamin  Abbot  gave  in  his  Testimony,  that  last 
March  was  a  twelve  month,  this  Carrier  was  very  Angry  with 

1  Of  Andover.  She  was  executed,  like  Burroughs,  on  August  19,  the  day 
when  Mather  himself  was  present  and  said  "all  died  by  a  righteous  sentence" 
(Sewall,  Diary,  I.  363).  "All  of  them,"  says  Judge  Sewall,  "said  they  were  inno- 
cent, Carrier  and  all."  Important  for  her  case  are,  beside  the  Records  of  Salem 
Witchcraft  (II.  54-68,  198-199),  the  documents  preserved  by  Hutchinson  (Massa- 


242         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

him,  upon  laying  out  some  Land,  near  her  Husbands:  Her 
Expressions  in  this  Anger,  were,  That  she  would  stick  as  close 
to  Abbot,  as  the  Bark  stuck  to  the  Tree,  and  that  he  should 
Repent  of  it  afore  seven  years  came  to  an  end,  so  as  Doctor 
Prescot  should  never  cure  him.  These  words  were  heard  by 
others,  besides  Abbot  himself;  who  also  heard  her  say,  She 
would  hold  his  Nose  as  close  to  the  Grindstone,  as  ever  it  was 
held  since  his  Name  was  Abbot.  Presently  after  this,  he  was 
taken  with  a  swelling  in  his  Foot,  and  then  with  a  pain  in  his 
side,  and  exceedingly  Tormented.  It  bred  into  a  sore,  which 
was  Lanced  by  Doctor  Prescot,  and  several  Gallons  of  Corrup- 
tion ran  out  of  it.  For  six  weeks  it  continued  very  bad;  and 
~theri  another  sore  bred  in  his  Groin,  which  was  also  Lanc'd 
by  Doctor  Prescot.  Another  Sore  then  bred  in  his  Groin, 
which  was  likewise  Cut,  and  put  him  to  very  great  Misery. 
He  was  brought  unto  Deaths  Door,  and  so  remained  until 
Carrier  was  taken,  and  carried  away  by  the  Constable;  from 
which  very  day,  he  began  to  mend,  and  so  grew  better  every 
day,  and  is  well  ever  since. 

Sarah  Abbot  also,  his  Wife,  testify'd,  that  her  Husband 
was  not  only  all  this  while  Afflicted  in  his  Body,  but  also  that 
strange,  extraordinary  and  unaccountable  Calamities  befel  his 
Cattel;  their  Death  being  such  as  they  could  guess  at  no 
Natural  Reason  for. 

IV.  Allin  Toothaker  testify'd,  That  Richard,  the  Son  of 
Martha  Carrier,  having  some  Difference  with  him,  pull'd  him 
down  by  the  Hair  of  the  Head.  When  he  Rose  again,  he  was 
going  to  strike  at  Richard  Carrier;  but  fell  down  flat  on  his 
Back  to  the  ground,  and  had  not  power  to  stir  hand  or  foot, 
until  he  told  Carrier  he  yielded;  and  then  he  saw  the  Shape  of 
Martha  Carrier  go  off  his  Breast. 

This  Toothaker  had  Received  a  Wound  in  the  Wars;  and 
he  now  testify'd,  that  Martha  Carrier  told  him,  He  should 
never  be  Cured.  Just  afore  the  Apprehending  of  Carrier,  he 
could  thrust  a  knitting  Needle  into  his  Wound,  four  Inches 

chusetts,  II.,  ch.  I.,  and  the  draft  edited  by  Poole  in  N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen. 
Register,  XXIV.).  They  are  reprinted  in  Abbot's  History  of  Andover  (Andover, 
1829),  and  Mrs.  Bailey,  in  her  Historical  Sketches  of  Andover  (Boston,  1880)  has 
added  others  and  told  the  story  in  detail  (pp.  194-237).  On  Goodwife  Carrier 
and  her  Andover  neighbors  see  also  pp.  180-182,  363,  371-375.  418-421. 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  243 

Deep;  but  presently  after  her  being  Siezed,  he  was  thoroughly 
Healed. 

He  further  testify'd,  That  when  Carrier  and  he  sometimes 
were  at  variance,  she  would  clap  her  hands  at  him,  and  say, 
He  should  get  nothing  by  it;  Whereupon  he  several  times  lost 
his  Cattle,  by  strange  Deaths,  whereof  no  Natural  Causes  could 
be  given. 

V.  John  Rogger  also  testifyed,  That  upon  the  threatning 
words  of  this  malicious  Carrier,  his  Cattle  would  be  strangely 
Bewitched;  as  was  more  particularly  then  described. 

VI.  Samuel  Preston  testify'd,  that  about  two  years  ago, 
having  some  Difference  with  Martha  Carrier,  he  lost  a  Cow  in 
a  strange  Preternatural  unusual  manner;  and  about  a  month 
after  this,  the  said   Carrier,  having  again  some  Difference 
with  him,  she  told  him,  He  had  lately  lost  a  Cow,  and  it 
should  not  be  long  before  he  Lost  another!   which  accord- 
ingly came  to  Pass;  for  he  had  a  Thriving  and  well-kept 
Cow,  which  without  any  known  cause  quickly  fell  down  and 
Dy'd. 

VII.  Phebe  Chandler  testify'd,  that  about  a  Fortnight 
before  the  apprehension  of  Martha  Carrier,  on  a  Lords-Day, 
while  the  Psalm  was  singing,  in  the  Church,  this  Carrier  then 
took  her  by  the  shoulder  and  shaking  her,  asked  her,  where 
she  Lived?  she  made  her  no  Answer,  although  as  Carrier,  who 
lived  next  door  to  her  Fathers  House,  could  not  in  reason  but 
know  who  she  was.    Quickly  after  this,  as  she  was  at  several 
times  crossing  the  Fields,  she  heard  a  voice,  that  she  took  to 
be  Martha  Carriers,  and  it  seem'd  as  if  it  was  over  her  Head. 
The  voice  told  her,  she  should  within  two  or  three  days  be 
Poisoned.    Accordingly,  within  such  a  Little  time,  One  Half 
of  her  Right  Hand  became  greatly  swollen,  and  very  painful; 
as  also  part  of  her  Face;  whereof  she  can  give  no  account  how 
it  came.    It  continued  very  Bad  for  some  dayes;  and  several 
times  since,  she  has  had  a  great  pain  in  her  Breast;  and  been 
so  siezed  on  her  Legs,  that  she  has  hardly  been  able  to  go. 
She  added  that  lately,  going  well  to  the  House  of  God,  Richard, 
the  Son  of  Martha  Carrier,  Look'd  very  earnestly  upon  her, 
and  immediately  her  hand,  which  had  formerly  been  poisoned, 
as  is  abovesaid,  began  to  pain  her  greatley,  and  she  had  a 
strange  Burning  at  her  stomach;   but  was  then  struck  deaf, 


244 

so  that  she  could  not  hear  any  of  the  prayer,  or  singing,  till 
the  two  or  three  last  words  of  the  Psalme. 

VIII.  One  Foster,  who  confessed  her  own  Share  in  the 
Witchcraft  for  which  the  Prisoner  stood  indicted,  affirm 'd, 
That  she  had  seen  the  Prisoner  at  some  of  their  Witch-Meetings, 
and  that  it  was  this  Carrier,  who  perswaded  her  to  be  a  Witch. 
She  confessed,  That  the  Devil  carry'd  them  on  a  Pole,  to  a 
Witch-Meeting;   but  the  Pole  broke,  and  she  hanging  about 
Carriers  Neck,  they  both  fell  down,  and  she  then  Received  an 
Hurt  by  the  Fall,  whereof  she  was  not  at  this  very  time  Re- 
covered. 

IX.  One  Lacy,  who  likewise  confessed  her  share  in  this 
Witchcraft,  now  Testify'd,  That  she  and  the  Prisoner  were 
once  Bodily  present  at  a  Witch-meeting  in  Salem- Village ;  and 
that  she  knew  the  Prisoner  to  be  a  Witch,  and  to  have  been 
at  a  Diabolical  Sacrament,  and  that  the  Prisoner  was  the  un- 
doing  of  her  and  her  Children,  by  Enticing  them  into  the 
Snare  of  the  Devil. 

X.  Another  Lacy,  who  also  Confessed  her  share  in  this 
Witchcraft,  now  Testify'd,  That  the  Prisoner  was  at  the  Witch- 
Meeting,  in  Salem  Village,  where  they  had  Bread  and  Wine 
Administred  unto  them. 

XI.  In  the  Time  of  this  Prisoner's  Trial,  one  Susanna 
Shelden  in  open  Court  had  her  Hands  Unaccountably  Ty'd 
together  with  a  Wheel-band,  so  fast  that  without  Cutting  it 
could  not  be  Loosed:    It  was  done  by  a  Spectre;    and  the 
Sufferer  affirm'd,  it  was  the  Prisoners. 

Memorandum.  This  Rampant  Hag,  Martha  Carrier,  was 
the  Person,  of  whom  the  Confessions  of  the  Witches,  and  of 
her  own  Children  among  the  rest,  agreed,  That  the  Devil  had 
promised  her,  she  should  be  Queen  of  Hell. 

Having  thus  far  done  the  Service  imposed  upon  me,  I  will 
further  pursue  it,  by  relating  a  few  of  those  Matchless  Curi- 
osities, with  which  the  Witchcraft  now  upon  us  has  entertained 
us.  And  I  shall  Report  nothing  but  with  Good  Authority, 
and  what  I  would  Invite  all  my  Readers  to  examine,  while  tis 
yet  Fresh  and  New,  that  if  there  be  found  any  mistake,  it  may 
be  as  willingly  Retracted,  as  it  was  unwillingly  Committed. 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  245 


The  First  Curiositie. 

I.  Tis  very  Remarkable  to  see  what  an  Impious  and  Im- 
pudent Imitation  of  Divine  Things  is  Apishly  affected  by  the 
Devil,  in  several  of  those  matters,  whereof  the  Confessions  of 
our  Witches  and  the  Afflictions  of  our  Sufferers  have  informed 
us. 

That  Reverend  and  Excellent  Person,  Mr.  John  Higginson,1 
in  My  Conversation  with  him,  Once  invited  me  to  this  Reflec- 
tion; That  the  Indians  which  came  from  far  to  settle  about 
Mexico,  were  in  their  Progress  to  that  Settlement,  under  a 
Conduct  of  the  Devil,  very  strangely  Emulating  what  the 
Blessed  God  gave  to  Israel  in  the  Wilderness. 

Acosta2  is  our  Author  for  it,  that  the  Devil  in 

their  Idol  Vitzlipultzli  governed  that  mighty  Nation.  He  com- 
manded them  to  leave  their  Country,  promising  to  make  them  Lords 
over  all  the  Provinces  possessed  by  Six  other  Nations  of  Indians, 
and  give  them  a  Land  abounding  with  all  precious  things.  They 
went  forth,  carrying  their  Idol  with  them,  in  a  Coffer  of  Reeds,  sup- 
ported by  Four  of  their  Principal  Priests;  with  whom  he  still  Dis- 
coursed, in  secret,  Revealing  to  them  the  Successes,  and  Accidents 
of  their  way.  He  advised  them,  when  to  March,  and  where  to  Stay, 
and  without  his  Commandment  they  moved  not.  The  first  thing 
they  did,  wherever  they  came,  was  to  Erect  a  Tabernacle,  for  their 
False  God;  which  they  set  always  in  the  midst  of  their  Camp,  and 
there  placed  the  Ark  upon  an  Altar.  When  they,  Tired  with  pains, 
talked  of  proceeding  no  further  in  their  Journey,  than  a  certain 
pleasant  Stage,  whereto  they  were  arrived,  this  Devil  in  one  night 
horribly  kill'd  them  that  had  started  this  Talk,  by  pulling  out  their 
Hearts.  And  so  they  passed  on,  till  they  came  to  Mexico. 

The  Devil  which  then  thus  imitated  what  was  in  the  Church 
of  the  Old  Testament,  now  among  Us  would  Imitate  the  Affayrs 

1  Senior  minister  at  Salem  Town.     See  also  p.  248,  note  2,  and  pp.  398, 
399-402. 

2  It  is  the  Spanish  Jesuit,  Joseph  Acosta,  who  in  his  Natural  and  Moral  His- 
tory of  the  Indies  (bk.  VII.,  ch.  4)  relates  this.     Mather  seems  to  have  used  the 
English  version  of  Grimston  (London,  1604),  paraphrasing  and  abridging  after 
a  free  fashion  and  inserting  from  the  following  chapter  what  is  in  his  last  two 
sentences, 


246         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

of  the  Church  in  the  New.  The  Witches  do  say,  that  they 
form  themselves  much  after  the  manner  of  Congregational 
Churches;  and  that  they  have  a  Baptism  and  a  Supper,  and 
Officers  among  them,  abominably  Resembling  those  of  our 
Lord. 

But  there  are  many  more  of  these  Bloody  Imitations,  if 
the  Confessions  of  the  Witches  are  to  be  Received;  which  I 
confess,  ought  to  be  but  with  very  much  of  Caution. 

What  is  their  striking  down  with  a  fierce  Look?  What  is 
their  making  of  the  Afflicted  Rise,  with  a  touch  of  their  Hand? 
What  is  their  Transportation  thro'  the  Air?  What  is  their 
Travelling  in  Spirit,  while  their  Body  is  cast  into  a  Trance? 
What  is  their  causing  of  Cattle  to  run  mad  and  perish?  What 
is  their  Entring  their  Names  in  a  Book?  What  is  their  coming 
together  from  all  parts,  at  the  Sound  of  a  Trumpet?  What  is 
their  Appearing  sometimes  Cloathed  with  Light  or  Fire  upon 
them?  What  is  their  Covering  of  themselves  and  their  In- 
struments with  Invisibility?  But  a  Blasphemous  Imitation 
of  certain  Things  recorded  about  our  Saviour,  or  His  Prophets, 
or  the  Saints  in  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

A  Second  Curiositie. 

II.  In  all  the  Witchcraft  which  now  Grievously  Vexes  us, 
I  know  not  whether  any  thing  be  more  Unaccountable,  than 
the  Trick  which  the  Witches  have,  to  render  themselves  and 
their  Tools  Invisible.  Witchcraft  seems  to  be  the  Skill  of 
Applying  the  Plastic  Spirit  of  the  World1  unto  some  unlawful 
purposes,  by  means  of  a  Confederacy  with  Evil  Spirits.  Yet 
one  would  wonder  how  the  Evil  Spirits  themselves  can  do 
some  things :  especially  at  Invisibilizing  of  the  Grossest  Bodies. 
I  can  tell  the  Name  of  an  Ancient  Author,  who  pretends  to 
show  the  way,  how  a  man  may  come  to  walk  about  Invisible, 
and  I  can  tell  the  Name  of  another  Ancient  Author,  who  pre- 
tends to  Explode  that  way.  But  I  will  not  speak  too  plainly, 
Lest  I  should  unawares  Poison  some  of  my  Readers,  as  the 

1  This  phrase  shows  the  influence  of  Ralph  Cudworth  (see  his  Intellectual 
System,  bk.  I.,  ch.  III.,  §37)  and  through  him  of  Cambridge  Platonism — whose 
demonology  (e.  g.,  Cudworth,  bk.  I.,  ch.  V.,  at  end)  must  also  be  remembered 
here. 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  247 

Pious  Hemingius  did  one  of  his  Pupils,  when  he  only  by  way 
of  Diversion  recited  a  Spell,  which,  they  had  said,  would  cure 
Agues.1  This  much  I  will  say;  The  notion  of  procuring  In- 
visibility, by  any  Natural  Expedient  yet  known,  is,  I  Believe, 
a  meer  Plinyism;  How  far  it  may  be  obtained  by  a  Magical 
Sacrament,  is  best  known  to  the  Dangerous  Knaves  that  have 
Try'd  it.  But  our  Witches  do  seem  to  have  got  the  Knack: 
and  this  is  one  of  the  Things,  that  make  me  think,  Witchcraft 
will  not  be  fully  understood,  until  the  Day  when  there  shall 
not  be  one  Witch  in  the  World. 

There  are  certain  people  very  Dogmatical  about  these 
matters;  but  I'l  give  them  only  these  Three  Bones  to  Pick. 

First,  One  of  our  Bewitched  people  was  cruelly  assaulted 
by  a  Spectre,  that,  she  said,  ran  at  her  with  a  SpincUe :  tho'  no 
body  else  in  the  Room,  could  see  either  the  Spectre  or  the 
Spindle.  At  last,  in  her  miseries,  giving  a  Snatch  at  the  Spec- 
tre, she  pull'd  the  Spindle  away;  and  it  was  no  sooner  got 
into  her  hand,  but  the  other  people  then  present  beheld,  that 
it  was  indeed  a  Real,  Proper,  Iron  Spindle,  belonging  they 
knew  to  whom;  which  when  they  Lock'd  up  very  safe,  it  was 
nevertheless  by  Daemons  unaccountably  stole  away,  to  do 
further  mischief. 

Secondly,  Another  of  our  Bewitched  People  was  haunted 
with  a  most  abusive  Spectre,  which  came  to  her,  she  said, 
with  a  Sheet  about  her.  After  she  had  undergone  a  deal  of 
Teaze,  from  the  Annoyances  of  the  Spectre,  she  gave  a  Violent 
Snatch  at  the  Sheet  that  was  upon  it;  wherefrom  she  tore  a 
Corner,  which  in  her  Hand  immediately  became  Visible  to  a 
Roomful  of  Spectators;  a  Palpable  Corner  of  a  Sheet.  Her 
Father,  who  was  now  holding  her,  Catch'd  that  he  might  Keep 
what  his  Daughter  had  so  strangely  Seized,  but  the  unseen 
Spectre  had  like  to  have  pull'd  his  Hand  off,  by  Endeavouring 
to  wrest  it  from  him;  however  he  still  held  it,  and  I  suppose 
has  it  still  to  show;  it  being  but  a  few  Hours  ago,  namely 
about  the  Beginning  of  this  October,  that  this  Accident  hap- 
pened; in  the  family  of  one  Pitman,  at  Manchester. 

Thirdly,  A  young  man,  delaying  to  procure  Testimonials 

1  It  is  the  great  Danish  theologian  Nicholas  Hemming  (Niels  Hemmingsen) 
who  tells  this  story  of  himself  in  his  Admonitio  de  Superstitionibus  Magicis  mtandis 
(Copenhagen,  1575),  fol.  C2  verso. 


248         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

for  his  Parents,  who  being  under  confinement  on  Suspicion  of 
Witchcraft,  required  him  to  do  that  Service  for  them,  was 
quickly  pursued  with  odd  Inconveniences.  But  once  above 
the  Rest,  an  Officer  going  to  put  his  Brand  on  the  Horns  of 
some  Cows,  belonging  to  these  people,  which  tho'  he  had  Siez'd 
for  some  of  their  Debts,  yet  he  was  willing  to  leave  in  their 
Possession,  for  the  Subsistence  of  the  poor  Family ;  this  young 
man  help'd  in  holding  the  Cows  to  be  thus  Branded.  The 
three  first  Cows  he  held  well  enough ;  but  when  the  hot  Brand 
was  clap't  upon  the  Fourth,  he  winc'd  and  shrunk  at  such  a 
rate,  as  that  he  could  hold  the  Cow  no  longer.  Being  after- 
wards Examined  about  it,  he  Confessed,  That  at  that  very 
Instant  when  the  Brand  entred  the  Cows  Horn,  exactly  the 
like  burning  Brand  was  clap'd  upon  his  own  Thigh;  where  he 
has  Exposed  the  Lasting  Marks  of  it,  unto  such  as  asked  to 
see  them. 

Unriddle  these  Things, — Et  Eris  mihi  magnus  Apollo.1 

A  Third  Curiositie. 

III.  If  a  Drop  of  Innocent  Blood  should  be  shed,  in  the 
Prosecution  of  the  Witchcrafts  among  us,  how  unhappy  are 
we !  For  which  cause,  I  cannot  express  my  sen"  in  better  terms, 
than  those  of  a  most  Worthy  Person,  who  lives  near  the  pres- 
ent Center  of  these  things.2  "The  Mind  of  God  in  these  mat- 
ters, is  to  be  carefully  look'd  into,  with  due  Circumspection, 
that  Satan  deceive  us  not  with  his  Devices,  who  transforms 
himself  into  an  Angel  of  Light,  and  may  pretend  Justice  and 
yet  intend  Mischief."  But  on  the  other  side,  if  the  Storm  of 
Justice  do  now  fall  only  on  the  Heads  of  those  Guilty  Witches 
and  Wretches  which  have  defiled  our  Land,  How  Happy! 

The  Execution  of  some  that  have  lately  Dyed  has  been 
immediately  attended  with  a  strange  Deliverance  of  some, 
that  had  lain  for  many  years  in  a  most  sad  Condition,  under 

1  "And  thou  shall  be  to  me  a  great  Apollo" — i.  e.,  a  great  revealer  of  mys- 
teries. For  their  unriddling  see  p.  370,  below. 

1  It  has  been  suggested  that  this  means  the  Rev.  John  Higginson,  the  ven- 
erable senior  minister  at  Salem,  whose  hesitation  as  to  the  proceedings  may  be 
inferred  from  Brattle's  words  (p.  184,  above) — and  from  all  else  we  know.  See 
below,  p.  398. 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  249 

they  knew  not  whose  Evil  Hands.  As  I  am  abundantly  satis- 
fy'd,  That  many  of  the  Self-Murders  committed  here,  have 
been  the  effects  of  a  Cruel  and  Bloody  Witchcraft,  letting  fly 
Daemons  upon  the  miserable  Seneca's;1  thus,  it  has  been  ad- 
mirable unto  me  to  see,  how  a  Devillish  Witchcraft,  sending 
Devils  upon  them,  has  driven  many  poor  people  to  Despair, 
and  persecuted  their  minds  with  such  Buzzes2  of  Atheism  and 
Blasphemy,  as  has  made  them  even  run  Distracted  with  Ter- 
rors: and  some  long  Bow'd  down  under  such  a  Spirit  of  In- 
firmity, have  been  marvelously  Recovered  upon  the  Death  of 
the  Witches. 

One  Whetford  particularly  ten  years  ago,  challenging  of 
Bridget  Bishop  (whose  Trial  you  have  had)  with  Stealing  of  a 
Spoon,  Bishop  threatned  her  very  direfully:  presently  after 
this  was  Whetford  in  the  Night,  and  in  her  Bed,  visited  by 
Bishop,  with  one  Parker,  who  making  the  Room  Light  at  their 
coming  in,  there  discoursed  of  several  mischiefs  they  would 
inflict  upon  her.  At  last,  they  pulTd  her  out,  and  carried  her 
unto  the  Sea-side,  there  to  drown  her;  but  she  calling  upon 
God,  they  left  her,  tho'  not  without  Expressions  of  their  Fury. 
From  that  very  Time,  this  poor  Whetford  was  utterly  spoilt, 
and  grew  a  Tempted,  Froward,  Crazed  sort  of  a  Woman;  a 
vexation  to  her  self,  and  all  about  her;  and  many  ways  un- 
reasonable. In  this  Distraction  she  lay,  till  those  women  were 
Apprehended,  by  the  Authority;  then  she  began  to  mend; 
and  upon  their  Execution,  was  presently  and  perfectly  Re- 
covered, from  the  ten  years  madness  that  had  been  upon  her. 

A  Fourth  Curiositie. 

IV.  Tis  a  thousand  pitties,  that  we  should  permit  our 
Eyes  to  be  so  Blood-shot  with  passions,  as  to  loose  the  sight 
of  many  wonderful  Things,  wherein  the  Wisdom  and  Justice 
of  God,  would  be  Glorify'd.  Some  of  those  Things,  are  the 
frequent  Apparitions  of  Ghosts,  whereby  many  Old  Murders 
among  us,  come  to  be  considered.  And,  among  many  Instances 
of  this  kind,  I  will  single  out  one,  which  concerned  a  poor  man, 

1  The  philosopher  Seneca,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  an  advocate  of  suicide 
and  ended  his  own  life  thus. 

2  Whisperings. 


250         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

lately  Prest  unto  Death,  because  of  his  Refusing  to  Plead  for 
his  Life.1  I  shall  make  an  Extract  of  a  Letter,  which  was 
written  to  my  Honourable  Friend,  Samuel  Sewal,  Esq.,2  by 
Mr.  Putman,3  to  this  purpose; 

The  Last  Night  my  Daughter  Ann  was  grievously  Tormented 
by  Witches,  Threatning  that  she  should  be  Pressed  to  Death,  be- 
fore Giles  Cory.  But  thro'  the  Goodness  of  a  Gracious  God,  she  had 
at  last  a  little  Respite.  Whereupon  there  appeared  unto  her  (she 
said)  a  man  in  a  Winding  Sheet;  who  told  her  that  Giles  Cory  had 
Murdered  him,  by  Pressing  him  to  Death  with  his  Feet;  but  that 
the  Devil  there  appeared  unto  him,  and  Covenanted  with  him,  and 
promised  him,  He  should  not  be  Hanged.  The  Apparition  said, 
God  Hardened  his  Heart,  that  he  should  not  hearken  to  the  Advice 
of  the  Court,  and  so  Dy  an  easy  Death;  because  as  it  said,  "It  must 
be  done  to  him  as  he  has  done  to  me."  The  Apparition  also  said, 
That  Giles  Cory  was  carry'd  to  the  Court  for  this,  and  that  the  Jury 
had  found  the  Murder,  and  that  her  Father  knew  the  man,  and  the 
thing  was  done  before  she  was  born.  Now  Sir,  This  is  not  a  little 
strange  to  us;  that  no  body  should  Remember  these  things,  all  the 
while  that  Giles  Cory  was  in  Prison,  and  so  often  before  the  Court. 
For  all  people  now  Remember  very  well,  (and  the  Records  of  the 
Court  also  mention  it,)  That  about  Seventeen  Years  ago,  Giles  Cory 
kept  a  man  in  his  House,  that  was  almost  a  Natural  Fool:  which 
Man  Dy'd  suddenly.  A  Jury  was  Impannel'd  upon  him,  among 
whom  was  Dr.  Zorobbabel  Endicot;4  who  found  the  man  bruised 
to  Death,  and  having  dodders  of  Blood  about  his  Heart.  The  Jury, 
whereof  several  are  yet  alive,  brought  in  the  man  Murdered;  but  as 
if  some  Enchantment  had  hindred  the  Prosecution  of  the  Matter, 
the  Court  Proceeded  not  against  Giles  Cory,  tho'  it  cost  him  a  great 
deal  of  Mony  to  get  off. 

Thus  the  Story. 

The  Reverend  and  Worthy  Author,  having  at  the  Direction 
of  His  Excellency  the  Governour,  so  far  Obliged  the  Publick, 
as  to  give  some  Account  of  the  Sufferings  brought  upon  the 

1  As  to  the  case  of  Giles  Corey  see  below,  pp.  366-367. 

1  Judge  Sewall,  of  the  court. 

1  Thomas  Putnam,  of  Salem  Village,  whose  wife  and  daughter  played  so 
large  a  part  as  accusers. 

•  Of  Salem  Village.  A  son  of  John  Endicott,  the  first  governor  of  the  Bay 
colony,  and  himself  much  honored  as  a  physician. 


1692]  COTTON  MATHER,  WONDERS  251 

Coimtrey  by  Witchcraft;  and  of  the  Trials  which  have  passed 
upon  several  Executed  for  the  Same : 

Upon  Perusal  thereof,  We  find  the  Matters  of  Fact  and 
Evidence,  Truly  reported.  And  a  Prospect  given,  of  the 
Methods  of  Conviction,  used  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Court 
at  Salem. 

Boston  Octob  11.  WILLIAM  STOUGHTON 

1692.  SAMUEL  SEWALL. 


A  BRAND  PLUCK'D  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING,  BY 
COTTON  MATHER,  1693 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World  was  not  yet  issued, 
the  General  Court  was  still  debating  its  course  toward  the 
accused  who  filled  the  jails,  and  Judge  Sewall  (on  November 
22,  1692)  was  just  imploring  God  to  "bless  the  Assembly  in 
their  debates"  and  (if  "consisting  with  his  Justice  and  Holi- 
ness") to  "vindicate  the  late  Judges,"  when  there  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Rev.  Cotton  Mather  an  opportunity  to  show  the 
province  and  the  world  how  a  case  of  bewitchment  should  be 
handled.  It  is  likely  enough  that  he  had  known  Mercy  Short 
from  the  time  of  her  first  seizure,  in  the  early  summer;  but 
from  November,  and  especially  from  the  day  when  she  fell 
into  a  paroxysm  while  attending  his  church,  and  was  carried 
into  a  neighbor's,  where  for  weeks  she  lay  at  his  door,  till  her 
"deliverance"  on  March  16,  he  gave  the  case  the  attention 
that  fruited  in  the  following  journal.  The  journal  was  doubt- 
less soon  thereafter  completed,  and,  like  his  earlier  narrative 
of  the  case  of  the  Goodwin  children,1  and  his  later  one  of  Mar- 
garet Rule's,2  put  into  circulation  among  his  friends. 

The  manuscript,  still  extant  in  his  own  handwriting,  bears 
on  its  cover-page,  in  his  hand,  "To  be  returned  unto  Cotton 
Mather."  And  in  the  possession  of  Cotton  Mather  and  his 
family  it  seems  to  have  remained  until  1814,  when  his  grand- 
daughter, Mrs.  Hannah  (Mather)  Crocker,  presented  it,  with 
many  other  papers,  to  the  American  Antiquarian  Society  at 
Worcester,  Massachusetts.3  "About  ten  years  ago,"  writes 

1  See  p.  119  and  p.  126,  note  1.          *See  p.  306,  note  3,  p.  307,  note  1. 
3  "The  manuscript,"  writes  Mr.  Brigham,  the  present   librarian  of  that 
society,  "unquestionably  came  to  the  Society  in  December,  1814,  under  which 

255 


256         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

W.  F.  Poole  in  the  second  volume  (1881)  of  the  Memorial 
History  of  Boston,  "Dr.  Samuel  F.  Haven,  the  accomplished 
librarian  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society,  in  looking 
through  the  Mather  manuscripts  in  that  library,  found  one 
entitled,  A  Brand  Pluckt  out  of  the  Burning,  and  on  examina- 
tion it  proved  to  be  the  long-lost  Mercy  Short  narrative." 
"  Dr.  Haven,  in  announcing  the  discovery,"  he  adds,  "promised 
to  print  it  with  notes;  but  he  has  not  yet  found  leisure  to  fulfil 
his  promise."  That  leisure  never  came.  A  transcript  of  the 
booklet  was  made  and  lent  to  Poole,  who  made  it  the  basis  of 
his  careful  summary  of  the  case,1  and  this  transcript  has  since 
been  used  by  other  scholars;  but  when,  after  Dr.  Haven's 
death  (in  1881),  his  successor  was  frequently  asked,  "When 

date  is  the  following  entry  in  the  Donation  Book :  'Above  Nine  Hundred  Sermons, 
in  manuscript  and  separate,  written  and  preached  by  the  Mathers.  Together 
with  a  number  of  manuscript  books  and  papers  which  were  in  the  Mather  Library. 
Presented  to  the  Society  by  Mrs.  Hannah  Crocker  of  Boston.'  " 

The  vicissitudes,  earlier  and  later,  of  the  papers  and  books  of  the  Mathers 
have  been  related  in  much  detail  by  Mr.  Julius  H.  Tuttle  ("The  Libraries  of  the 
Mathers,"  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society,  n.  s.,  XX. 
269-356),  and  he  narrates  (p.  310)  how  in  October,  1831,  another  body  of  old 
papers,  which  "nobody  could  read,"  found  their  way  from  the  garret  once  Samuel 
Mather's  to  the  Antiquarian  Society.  But  it  is  the  hand  of  President  Isaiah 
Thomas  (d.  April,  1831),  who  received  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Crocker,  that  has  written 
on  the  cover-page  of  our  MS.  its  title  of  "Brand  Plucked  out  of  the  Burning"; 
and  it  was  doubtless  while  looking  over  the  "debris  from  the  drawers  and  pigeon- 
holes of  a  student's  desk,  that  came  to  this  Society  with  the  family  library  from 
Mrs.  Hannah  Mather  Crocker,"  that  Librarian  Haven  (see  his  report,  p.  36  in 
the  Proceedings  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society,  April,  1869)  first  noticed  it. 

The  original  manuscript  is  7%  inches  high  by  6  inches  wide.  It  contains 
20  leaves,  of  which  the  first  is  blank.  The  remaining  pages  are  numbered  from 
1  to  38,  p.  26  having  nothing  upon  it  and  therefore  no  numbering.  At  the  end  of 
p.  38  the  text  breaks  off  abruptly,  after  the  opening  words  (printed  below,  p.  286) 
of  section  29.  These  suffice  to  show  the  section  merely  a  postscript  and  to  con- 
vince us  that  few  words  are  missing.  The  manuscript  shows  marks  of  much  use; 
many  words  are  blotted  or  erased,  and  there  are  some  interlineations  in  a  different 
ink,  some  in  the  same  ink,  but  practically  all  in  the  same  hand.  The  most  im- 
portant marks  of  the  writer's  later  thought  are  in  the  shape  of  marginal  addi- 
tions. 

For  this  careful  description  of  the  MS.  thanks  are  due  to  Librarian  Brigham 
and  to  Dr.  Charles  H.  Lincoln,  who  has  prepared  the  copy  for  the  printer. 

1  Memorial  History  of  Boston,  II.  147-152. 


INTRODUCTION  257 

shall  you  publish  Cotton  Mather's  account  of  the  trial  of  Mercy 
Short?"  he  could  only  reply  that  it  "should  see  the  light  at  an 
early  day,  under  the  editorial  supervision  of  such  students  of 
the  witchcraft  problem  as  Drs.  Poole  and  Moore."1  Poole 
seriously  thought  of  the  task.  "His  study  of  the  witchcraft 
problem  and  literature,"  said  Librarian  Barton  at  his  death,2 
"had  led  him  to  hope  that  he  might  edit  with  notes  our  Cot- 
ton Mather  manuscript  account  of  the  case  of  Mercy  Short"; 
but  he  seems  never  to  have  taken  it  in  hand,  and  no  other 
has  since  attempted  it. 

The  importance  of  the  narrative  lies  not  only  in  its  contem- 
poraneity with  the  Salem  trials  and  the  side-lights  it  gives  us 
on  that  episode  and  its  environment,  but  yet  more  in  the  clear- 
ness with  which  it  shows  just  what  its  author  stood  for  in  the 
matter.  To  him  the  case  of  Mercy  Short  was  not  only  iden- 
tical in  kind  with  those  of  "the  Bewitched  people  then  tor- 
mented by  Invisible  Furies  in  the  County  of  Essex":  it  was 
itself  one  of  those  cases.  And  from  first  to  last  he  was  con- 
scious that  he  was  making  his  treatment  of  it  an  object  lesson. 
The  present  editor  is  far,  indeed,  from  finding  in  it,  like  Mr. 
Poole,  "the  principles  and  methods  of  the  Boston  ministers" 
in  general,  and  yet  farther  from  his  conviction  that  Mather 
meant  his  method  to  be  a  rival  of  the  court's.  He  can  not 
overlook  that  author's  own  explanation  that,  "had  wee  not 
studiously  suppressed  all  clamours  and  Rumours  that  might 
have  touched  the  Reputacion  of  people  exhibited  in  this  Witch- 
craft, there  might  have  ensued  most  uncomfortable  uproar";3 
or  that,  if  he  himself  used  prayer  and  fasting,  he  had  a  little 
earlier  reminded  the  court  how  in  Sweden  a  fast  "was  im- 
mediately [followed]  with  a  remarkable  Smile  of  God  upon 
the  endeavours  of  the  Judges  to  discover  and  Extirpate  the 
Authors  of  that  Execrable  witchcraft";4  or  that,  if  he  found 

1  Report  of  Librarian  Barton,  April,  1885,  in  Proceedings,  n.  s.,  III.  385-386. 

2  See  his  report  for  April,  1894  (ibid.,  IX.  184).         » See  p.  276,  below. 
4  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.,  Collections,  fourth  series,  VIII.  392. 


r'**"' 


jf    '^^a^&^^^^  l  -fte'IlfSb 

t&*a&*.ttJ, 

, 

' 

**At> 

- 

•if  *f** 

"l,  f-  </ 
• .  *v 


MK  * 

... 

^J 


Jr  {'  V  •  <t*  t<< 

fo> 

L(HX^M 

S*^>.<  fc-0 


'• 
7o<r^J  a.w^^  /  v    fr7c^ /fi^cv     u»«ct./^    ...I 


A  BRAND  PLUCK'D  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING 

First  page  of  the  original  manuscript,  in  the  posses -don  of  the  American 

Antiquarian  Society 


A   BRAND    PLUCK'D   OUT  OF  THE  BURNING 

§  1.  MERCY  SHORT  had  been  taken  Captive  by  our  cruel 
and  Bloody  Indians  in  the  East,  who  at  the  same  time  hor- 
ribly Butchered  her  Father,  her  Mother,  her  Brother,  her 
Sister,  and  others  of  her  Kindred  and  then  carried  her,  and 
three  surviving  Brothers  with  two  Sisters,  from  Nieuchewan- 
nic2  unto  Canada :  after  which  our  Fleet  Returning  from  Que- 
beck  to  Boston,  brought  them  with  other  prisoners  that  were 
then  Redeemed.  But  altho  she  had  then  already  Born  the 
Yoke  in  her  youth,  Yett  God  Almighty  saw  it  Good  for  her 
to  Bear  more  of  that  Yoke,  before  seventeen  years  of  her  Life 
had  Rolled  away. 

§  2.  It  was  in  the  Summer  of  the  Year  1692,  when  sever[al] 
persons  were  committed  unto  the  Gaol  in  Boston  on  suspicion 
of  having  an  Hand  in  that  most  Horrid  and  Hellish  Witch- 
craft, which  had  brought  in  the  Divels  upon  several  parts  of 
the  Country,  at  such  a  rate  as  is  the  just  Astonishment  of  the 
world;  Then  it  was  that  Mercy  Short,  being  sent  by  her  Mis- 
tress upon  an  Errand  unto  the  prison,  was  asked  by  one  of  the 
Suspected  Witches  for  a  little  Tobacco ;  and  she  affronted  the 

1  A  cover-page  of  the  manuscript  bears  the  inscription  (by  a  later  hand) : 
"Brand  Plucked  out  of  the  Burning,  being  an  Account  of  Mercy  Short  who  was 
supposed  to  suffer  by  Witchcraft  1692."     And  in  the  hand  of  Cotton  Mather 
himself  are  written  the  words:     "To  be  returned  unto  Cotton  Mather." 

2  Or  Salmon  Falls,  a  New  Hampshire  settlement  on  the  river  dividing  that 
province  from  Maine,  where  now  on  the  Maine  side  is  the  village  of  Berwick.     In 
his  Magnolia  (bk.  VII.,  art.  6)  Mather  has  told  in  detail  the  story  of  this  taking 
of  Salmon  Falls  by  the  French  and  Indians  (March  18,  1690)  and  what  share  in 
this  calamity  "fell  to  the  family  of  one  Clement  Short" :  "This  honest  man,  with 
his  pious  wife,  and  three  children,  were  kill'd;  and  six  or  seven  of  their  children 
were  made  prisoners."     His  knowledge  of  the  episode  was  doubtless  gathered 
from  Mercy  Short.     The  fleet,  which  brought  her  to  Boston,  arrived  November 
19,  1690.     She  probably  went  into  domestic  service,  and,  as  we  shall  see,  in  a 
neighborhood  where  were  "people  of  quality." 

259 


260         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

Hag  (t'was  one  Sarah  Good,  since  executed  at  Salem)1  by 
throwing  an  Handful  of  Shavings  at  her  and  saying,  That's 
Tobacco  good  enough  for  you.  Whereupon  that  Wretched 
Woman  bestowed  some  ill  words  upon  her,  and  poor  Mercy 
was  taken  with  just  such,  or  perhaps  much  worse,  Fits  as  those 
which  held  the  Bewitched  people  then  Tormented  by  Invisible 
Furies  in  the  County  of  Essex.  A  world  of  misery  did  shee 
endure,  for  diverse  weeks  together,  and  such  as  could  not  pos- 
sibly bee  inflicted  upon  her  without  the  Immediate  efficiency 
of  some  Agent,  or  Rational  or  Malicious;  until  God  was  pleased 
at  length  to  hear  the  multiply'd  prayers  of  His  people  for  her 
Deliverance.  There  were  many  Remarkable  Things  in  the 
molestations  then  given  her;  Whereof  one  was  that  they  made 
her  Fast  for  Twelve  Days  together. 

§  3.  Being  happily  Delivered,  shee  for  diverse  months  re- 
mained so;  even  until  the  Winter  following.  But  then  shee 
suddenly  fell  into  a  swoon  wherein  shee  lay  for  Dead  many 
hours  together;  and  it  was  not  long  before  the  Distinct  and 
Formal  Fits  of  Witchcraft  return'd  upon  her.2  Shee  con- 
tinued variously  Tortured  and  Harassed  by  Evil  Spirits;  and 
in  the  same  circumstances  that  had  been  upon  her  formerly 
until  one  of  the  ministers  in  the  Town3  took  a  little  company 
of  his  praying  Neighbors,  and  kept  a  Day  of  prayer  with  her 
and  for  her.  On  which  day  shee  lay  wholly  insensible  of  the 
people  that  were  thus  concerned  on  her  behalf  and  entertained 
with  none  but  the  cursed  Spectres,  whom  alone  shee  saw,  shee 
heard,  shee  felt;  nevertheless  while  that  minister  was  preach- 
ing on  Marc.  9.  28,  29,  shee  flew  upon  him  and  shee  tore  a  leaf 
of  his  Bible.4  For  some  days  after  This  Day  shee  continued 

1  Sarah  Good  (see  pp.  343  ff.,  414)  was  sent  to  the  Boston  jail  on  March  7, 
condemned  at  Salem  June  30,  executed  on  July  19.  As  she  is  here  spoken  of  as 
only  "suspected,"  the  interview  with  Mercy  Short  was  as  early  as  June. 

JThe  event  is  noted  by  Sewall  (Diary,  I.  370)  under  November  22:  "Now 
about,  Mercy  Short  grows  ill  again,  as  formerly."  This  he  probably  added  when 
about  to  write  the  following  entry:  "November  25.  Mr.  Mather  sent  for  to 
her." 

1  Mather  himself,  of  course. 

4  Then  doubtless  it  was— "Nov.  29.  1692"— that  Mather  wrote  in  his  Bible: 
"While  I  was  preaching  at  a  private  fast  (kept  for  a  possessed  young  woman) — 
on  Mark  9.  28,  29. — the  Devel  in  the  Damsel  flew  upon  mee,  and  tore  the  Leaf, 
as  it  is  now  torn  over  against  the  Text."  A  facsimile  of  this  autograph  note  is 


1692]     C.  MATHER,  BRAND  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING       261 

in  her  grievous  vexations;  but  then,  after  what  was  little  short 
of  an  Entire  and  a  Total  Fast  for  about  Nine  Dayes  together, 
in  those  miseries,  at  length  shee  gained  about  Three  Dayes 
Remission.  In  this  Intermission  of  her  Anguishes,  shee  did 
eat  a  little,  and  but  a  very  little,  Victuals;  and  shee  was  able 
on  the  Lords  Day  to  visit  the  Lords  House,  near  half  a  mile 
from  the  place  of  her  abode.1 

§  4.  While  shee  was  in  the  congregation  shee  so  fell  under 
the  Arrest  of  her  Invisible  Troublers  that  shee  now  Saw  and 
Heard  nothing  but  those  horrid  Fiends,  but  when  the  Assembly 
was  just  broke  up,  they  fell  to  Tormenting  of  her  at  such  a 
rate,  that  many  strong  men  with  an  united  Force,  could  not 
well  carry  her  any  Further  than  the  House  of  a  kind  Neigh- 
bour, who  charitably  took  her  in.  T'was  by  the  singular  Provi- 
dence of  God,  that  shee  was  thus  cast  amofng]  a  Neighborhood 
whose  Hearts  Hee  stirred  up  to  pitty  her,  to  releeve  her,  to 
pray  for  her,  and  with  a  most  Christian  compassion  do  all  that 
could  piously  bee  done,  for  her  Deliverance.  There  shee  lay 
for  diverse  weeks;  and  you  shall  now  bee  told  in  what  manner 
handled!  A  manner  differing  Little  or  Nothing  from  that 
wherein  shee  had  been  thus  long  already  Tortured. 

§  5.  There  exhibited  himself  unto  her  a  Divel  having  the 
Figure  of  A  Short  and  a  Black  Man;  and  it  was  remarkable 
that  altho'  shee  had  no  sort  of  Acquaintance  with  Histories 
of  what  has  happened  elswhere,  to  make  any  Impressions  upon 
her  Imagination,  yett  the  Divel  that  visited  her  was  just  of  the 
same  Stature,  Feature,  and  complexion  with  what  the  Histories 
of  the  Witchcrafts  beyond-sea  ascribe  unto  him;  he  was  a 
wretch  no  taller  than  an  ordinary  Walking-Staff;  hee  was  not 
of  a  Negro,  but  of  a  Tawney,  or  an  Indian  colour;  hee  wore 
an  high-crowned  Hat,  with  strait  Hair;  and  had  one  Cloven- 
Foot.  This  Divel  still  brought  with  him  unto  her  a  consider- 
able Number  of  Spectres,  most  exactly  resembling  the  persons 
of  several  people  in  the  countrey,  some  of  whose  Names  were 

prefixed  by  Sparks  to  the  life  of  Cotton  Mather  in  his  Library  of  American  Biog- 
raphy (at  p.  161),  and  the  tracing  made  by  him  for  it  is  treasured,  with  his  others, 
in  the  library  of  Cornell  University. 

1  /.  e.,  to  come  to  Mather's  church  on  Sunday,  December  4:  her  nine  days' 
fast,  if  begun  on  November  22,  ended  on  December  1,  and  "three  days'  remis- 
sion" had  followed, 


262         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

either  formerly  known,  or  now  by  their  companions  told  unto 
her.  And  these  wicked  Spectres  assisted,  or  obeyed,  their 
Divellish  Master,  who  brought  them  to  infest  her  with  such 
hideous  Assaults,  as  were  the  Astonishment  of  all  the  standers- 
by. 

§  6.  When  this  Divel  with  his  confederate  and  concomitant 
Spectres  came  unto  this  our  poor  Neighbour,  it  was  their  cus- 
tom to  cast  her  into  such  horrible  Darkness  that  shee  still 
imagined  herself  in  a  desolate  cellar,  where  Day  or  Night  could 
not  bee  distinguished.  Her  eyes  were  open,  moving  to  and 
fro  after  the  Hellish  Harpyes  that  were  now  fluttering  about 
her;  but  so  little  able  to  see  any  thing  else,  that  altho  wee 
made  as  if  wee  would  strike  at  her  eyes,  it  would  not  make  her 
wink.  If  wee  laid  our  Hands  upon  them  it  hindred  her  from 
a  view  of  those  Fiends  which  troubled  her;  but  shee  gave  us 
afterwards  to  understand,  that  it  put  her  unto  much  pain  to 
bee  so  hindred.  Her  ears  were  altogether  stopt  unto  all  of 
our  Noises,  being  wholly  engrossed  by  the  Invisible  Assailants ; 
insomuch  that  tho'  wee  sometimes  halloo'd  extremely  loud  in 
her  ears,  yett  shee  heard  nothing  of  it.  And  it  was  particu- 
larly considerable  that  altho  shee  could  bee  no  other  than 
utterly  ignorant  of  what  the  European  Books  relate  concern- 
ing such  matters,  nevertheless  the  Voice  of  these  Daemons 
was  exactly  such  as  you  shall  read  in  Glanvils  collections1 
and  elsewhere;  twas  Big,  Low,  Thick,  and  such  as  ordinarily 
caused  her  to  say  Haah!  or  How!  or  What  do  you  say?  and 
listen  and  oblige  them  to  Repeat  before  shee  could  understand. 
Note.  That  wee  the  standers-by  could  neither  see  nor  Hear 
the  things  which  thus  entertained  this  young  woman,  and  I 
hope  wee  never  shall;  but  wee  were  informed  partly  from  the 
Speeches  that  fell  from  her  in  these  Trances ;  partly  from  the 
Accounts  by  her  afterwards  given  unto  us;  and  partly  by  a 
multitude  of  other  concurrant  circumstances. 

§  7.  The  Divel,  and  his  crew,  having  thus  forced  her  senses 
from  conversing  with  their  ordinary  objects,  and  captivated 
them  unto  this  communion  with  The  Powers  of  Darkness, 
Their  manner  was  in  the  first  place,  to  make  her  a  tender  of  a 
Book,  somewhat  long  and  thick  (Like  the  wast-books  of  many 
Traders),  butt  bound  and  clasp't,  and  filled  not  only  with  the 

1  As  to  Joseph  Glanvill  and  his  "collections,"  see  above,  pp.  5-6. 


1692]     C.  MATHER,  BRAND  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING       263 

Names  or  Marks,  but  also  with  the  explicit  (short)  Covenants 
of  such  as  had  listed  themselves  in  the  Service  of  Satan,  and 
the  Design  of  Witchcraft ;  all  written  in  Red  characters ;  many 
whereof  shee  had  opportunity  to  read  when  they  opened  the 
Book  before  her.  This  Book  of  Death  did  they  Tempt  her  to 
sign;  and  condescended  so  far  in  their  sollicitacions,  as  to 
tell  her,  That  if  shee  would  only  Touch  it  with  her  Finger  it 
should  bee  enough.  Only  the  received  signification  of  this 
little  ceremony  should  bee  That  shee  now  became  the  De- 
voted Vassal  of  the  Divel.  This  was  the  Temptacion  with 
which  they  still  persecuted  her;  and  it  was  the  very  same,  that 
the  Evil  Spirits  were  at  the  same  time  using  upon  far  more 
than  a  Score  of  miserable  people  so  posessed  in  several  other 
parts  of  the  countrey.  Whether  this  Book  bee  indeed  a  Real 
Book  or  no  I  dispute  not.  Mercy  herself  shee  thinks  it  is; 
and  gives  this  reason  for  it,  That  a  Touch  of  it  (they  told  her) 
would  have  cured  her.  Besides  They  diverse  times  made  her 
Eyes  very  sore  by  thrusting  it  hard  upon  them,  to  make  her 
Touch  it  when  shee  should  unawares  lift  up  her  Hands  to  save 
her  Eyes.  And  they  at  last  gave  her  to  understand,  That  they 
thought  they  should  bee  forced  shortly  to  drop  it. 

§  8.  As  the  Bewitched,  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  have 
commonly  had  no  other  style  for  their  Tormentors  but  only 
They  and  Them;  so  had  Mercy  Short.  Wherefore  to  consult 
Brevity,  wee  shall  Note  the  Divel,  and  those  that  accompanied 
him  in  this  Business,  by  that  style.  And  so  I  go  on  to  say 
That  They  first  used  a  thousand  Flatteries  and  Allurements 
to  induce  her  unto  a  compliance  with  the  Desire  of  the  Divel. 
They  showed  her  very  splendid  garments,  and  thence  proceeded 
unto  greater  glories,  which  they  promised  her  if  shee  would 
sign  to  Their  Book.  They  engag'd  unto  her,  I  know  not  how 
many  more  conveniences,  if  shee  would  but  so  much  as  Touch 
it.  When  all  these  persuasives  were  ineffectual,  They  terri- 
fy'd  her  with  horrible  Threatnings  of  miseries  which  they 
would  inflict  upon  her,  and  then  They  as  cruelly  Inflicted  a 
great  part  of  what  They  Threatened. 

But  that  which  added  unto  the  Horror  of  the  matter  was 
that  when  those  Tygres  were  addressing  themselves  to  some 
of  their  Furious  Inflictions,  They  would  so  cloathe  themselves 
in  Flames  of  Fire  (a  Divellish  and  most  impudent  imitation, 


264         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

sure,  of  something  mentioned  in  the  Scripture!)  as  to  render 
themselves  beyond  measure  formidable;  and  accordingly,  just 
before  They  fell  upon  her  with  any  Torments  of  a  more  than 
ordinary  Account,  shee  would  sometims,  by  the  fright  of  what 
shee  perceived  them  doing,  fall  a  Trembling  so  that  the  very 
Bed  would  shake  under  her.  Memorandum.  That  one  eve- 
ning I  had  with  mee  a  Lanthorn  accomodated  with  a  glass- 
Ball,  which  rendered  the  Light  so  extremely  glaring  that  one 
could  hardly  bear  to  look  upon  it,  but  one  might  thereby  read 
a  very  small  print  a  very  great  way  off;  and  shee  being  then 
able  to  see  and  speak,  told  us  That  Hee  (meaning  The  Black 
Man)  sometimes  came  to  her  with  Eyes  Flaming  like  the 
Light  of  that  Lanthorn. 

§  9.  T' would  bee  a  long  work  to  Recite  all  the  Tortures 
with  which  They  plagued  her.  I  shall  only  Touch  upon  the 
principal.  Besides  the  Thousands  of  cruel  pinches  given  her 
by  those  Barbarous  Visitants,  they  stuck  innumerable  pins 
into  her.  Many  of  those  pins  They  did  themselves  pluck  out 
again;  and  yett  They  left  the  Bloody  Marks  of  them,  which 
would  bee  as  tis  the  strange  Property  of  most  Witch-wounds 
to  bee,  cured,  perhaps  in  less  than  a  Minute.  But  some  of  the 
Pins  They  left  in  her,  and  those  wee  took  out,  with  Wonder- 
ment. Yea,  sometimes  They  would  force  Pins  into  her  Mouth, 
for  her  to  swallow  them ;  and  tho'  Shee  strove  all  shee  was  able 
to  keep  them  out,  yett  They  were  too  hard  for  her.  Only 
before  they  were  gott  into  her  Throat,  the  Standers-by  would 
by  some  Dexterity  gett  hold  of  them,  and  fetch  them  away. 
When  this  mischief  was  over,  They  would  then  come  and  sitt 
upon  her  Breast,  and  pull  open  her  Jaw,  and  keep  her  without 
fetching  one  sensible  Breath,  sometimes  for  Half-an-hour,  and 
sometimes  for  several  whole  Hours  together.  At  last,  when 
wee  came  to  understand  that  it  was  the  Sitting  of  the  Spectres 
upon  her,  which  cast  her  into  those  doleful  Postures,  wee  would 
with  main  Force,  (and  so  heavy  shee  was  beyond  her  Ordinary 
Weight,  that  the  lifting  of  her  called  for  a  more  than  Ordinary 
Force)  lift  her  upright,  and  the  Spectres  would  imediately 
then  so  fall  off,  that  her  Breath  return'd  unto  her.  At  other 
times  there  would  be  heard,  it  may  bee,  by  more  than  seven 
Witnesses  at  a  time,  the  Scratches  of  the  Spectres  on  the  Bed 
and  on  the  Wall, 


1692]     C.  MATHER,  BRAND  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING       265 

§  10.  Moreover,  They  would  sometimes  bring  her  a  little 
Cup  that  had  a  Whitesh  Liquor  in  it  (unto  Us,  wholly  invisi- 
ble), which  They  would  pour  down  her  Throat,  holding  her 
Jawes  wide  open  in  spite  of  all  the  Shriekings  and  Strivings 
wherewith  shee  expressed  a  Reluctancy  to  Taking  of  it. 
Wee  saw  her  swallow  this  Poison,  tho  wee  saw  not  the 
Poison;  and  immediately  shee  would  swell  prodigiously,  and 
bee  just  like  one  poisoned  with  a  Dose  of  Rats-bane.  After 
these  Potions,  shee  was  capable  ordinarily  to  beg  of  us, 
that  wee  would  help  her  to  some  Sallet  Oyl.1  Upon  the 
Taking  whereof,  the  swelling  would  in  a  little  while  abate. 
Behold,  a  proper  Venefic  Witchcraft!2  Because  the  Name 
for  Sorcerers  in  the  Bible  may  signify  Poisoners,  tis  a  foolish 
Thing  thence  to  infer  that  by  Witches,  the  Scripture  means  no 
more  than  such  as  committ  Murders  by  Poisons.  One  great 
Skill,  and  way  of  Afflicting  People  in  Witchcraft,  is  by  another 
sort  of  Poisoning  than  what  may  bee  seen  by  common  Eyes. 
Yea  I  suppose,  all  the  Bewitched  have  undergone  such  a 
Spirituous  Infection  that  wee  may  count  them  in  a  manner 
poisoned. 

Notandum,  That  Sometimes  our  laying  our  Hands  on  the 
Mouth  of  Mercy  Short,  when  wee  perceived  the  Spectres 
forcing  their  Poisons  into  her  Mouth,  did  keep  her  from  taking 
of  them  in. 

§  11.  Another  of  the  Miseries  Whereto  They  putt  her  was 
an  Extreme  Fasting  for  many  Days  together.  Shee  having 
obtained  a  Liberty  of  Eating  for  Three  Dayes,  after  a  Fast  of 
Nine  Dayes,  was  immediately  compelled  unto  another  Fast, 
which  lasted  for  about  Fifteen  Dayes  together.  In  all  this 
Time,  shee  was  permitted  scarce  to  swallow  one  bitt  or  drop 
of  any  Victuals.  One  Raw  Pear  shee  ate,  and  now  and  then 
an  Apple,  and  some  Hard  Cider  shee  drank,  things  that  would 
rather  sett  an  Edge  upon  the  Severity  of  her  Fast :  Sometimes 
also  a  Chestnut  might  go  down  into  her  Craving  Stomach  and 
sometimes  a  little  Cold  Water.  If  anything  else  were  offered 
her,  her  Teeth  would  bee  sett,  and  Shee  thrown  into  hideous 

1  Salad-oil,  olive  oil. 

2  Weyer  (and  after  him  many  other  opponents  of  witch  persecution)  had 
maintained  that  venefica,  the  name  for  witch  in  the  Latin  Bible,  meant  only  "a 
poisoner." 


266 

Torments :  and  it  must  bee  usually  for  two  or  three  Dayes 
together,  that  such  poor  Things  as  These  also  must  bee  deny'd 
her.  Breefly,  Shee  scarce  took  any  jot  of  Sustenance,  but 
what  wee  suppos'd  would  rather  increase  the  Tortures  and  Mis- 
chiefs of  her  Fast.  How  shee  was  all  this  while  supported  I 
pretend  not  now  to  guess.  But  the  famous  Henricus  ab  Heer,1 
hi  his  Observacions,  affirms  upon  Oath,  That  a  Bewitched  Girl, 
residing  in  his  House,  kept  just  such  another  Fast;  and  That 
for  Fifteen  Dayes  and  Nights  together  shee  took  neither  Meat 
nor  Drink.  And  yett,  this  Fast  was  not  so  long  as  that  men- 
tioned by  Dr  Plott,2  hi  his  Natural  History  of  Oxford-shire; 
who  affirms,  That  in  the  Year  1671,  one  Rebecka  Smith,  who 
was  thought  Bewitched,  continued  without  Eating  or  Drinking 
for  Ten  Weeks  together;  and  afterwards  lived  only  upon  warm 
Broaths  taken  in  Small  Quantities  for  a  whole  Twelvemonth. 
It  seems  that  Long  Fasting  is  not  only  Tolerable,  but  strangely 
Agreeable  to  such  as  have  something  more  than  Ordinary  to 
do  with  the  Invisible  World. 

§  12.  But  Burning  seem'd  the  cruellest  of  all  her  Tortures. 
They  would  Flash  upon  her  the  Flames  of  a  Fire,  that  was  to 
Us  indeed  (tho  not  unto  her)  Invisible ;  but  unto  us  all,  in  the 
Mischiefs  and  Effects  of  it,  the  most  sensible  Thing  that  could 
bee.  The  Agonies  of  One  Roasting  a  Faggot  at  the  Stake  were 
not  more  Exquisite,  than  what  Shee  underwent,  in  the  Scalds 
which  those  Hell-hounds  gave  unto  her,  sometimes  for  near  a 
Quarter  of  an  Hour  together.  Wee  saw  not  the  Flames,  but 
Once  the  Room  smelt  of  Brimstone,  and  at  other,  yea,  at  many 
Times,  wee  saw  her  made  Excessively  Sore  by  these  Flames, 
and  wee  saw  Blisters  thereby  Raised  upon  her.  To  cure  the 
Soreness  which  this  Fiery  Trial  would  give  unto  her,  wee  were 
forced  sometimes  to  apply  the  Oyle  commonly  used  for  the 
cure  of  Scalds,  and  yett  (Like  other  Witch-wounds)  in  a  Day 
or  Two  all  would  bee  well  again:  Only  the  marks  of  some 
Wounds  thus  given  her,  shee  will  probably  carry  to  her  Grave. 
I  may  add,  That  once  They  thrust  an  hot  Iron  down  her 

1  Henricus  ab  Heer  (Hendrik  van  Heer),  c.  1570-c.  1636,  many  years  private 
physician  of  the  prince-archbishops  of  Cologne. 

1  Robert  Plot  (1640-1696),  a  Kentish  antiquary,  published  in  1676  his 
Natural  History  of  Oxfordshire.  It  won  him  a  place  in  the  Royal  Society,  of  which 
in  1682  he  became  secretary. 


1G92]     C.   MATHER,   BRAND  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING       267 

Throat;  which  tho'  it  were  to  us  Invisible,  yett  wee  saw  the 
Skin  fetch'd  off  her  Tongue  and  Lips. 

§  13.  Reader,  If  thou  hadst  a  Desire  to  have  seen  a  Picture 
of  Hell,  it  was  visible  in  the  doleful  Circumstances  of  Mercy 
Short!  Here  was  one  lying  in  Outer  Darkness,  haunted  with 
the  Divel  and  his  Angels,  deprived  of  all  common  Comforts, 
tortured  with  most  cruciating  Fires,  Wounded  with  a  thousand 
Pains  all  over,  and  cured  immediately,  that  the  Pains  of  those 
Wounds  might  bee  repeated.  It  was  of  old  said,  If  One  went 
unto  them  from  the  Dead,  they  will  Repent.  As  for  us,  wee 
have  had  not  only  the  Damned  coming  to  us  from  the  Dead, 
in  this  Witchcraft,  but  the  very  State  of  the  Damned  itself 
represented  most  visibly  before  our  eyes :  Hard-hearted  Wee, 
if  wee  do  not  Repent  of  the  Things  which  may  expose  us  to  an 
Eternal  Durance  in  such  a  State! 

§  14.  Her  Discourses  to  Them  were  some  of  the  most  Sur- 
prising Things  imaginable,  and  incredibly  beyond  what  might 
have  been  expected,  from  one  of  her  small  Education  or  Ex- 
perience. In  the  Times  of  her  Tortures,  Little  came  from  her, 
besides  direful  Shrieks,  which  were  indeed  so  frightful,  as  to 
make  many  people  Quitt  the  Room.  Only  now  and  then  any 
Expression  of  marvellous  Constancy  would  bee  heard  from  her; 
e.  g.  "Tho'  you  kill  mee,  I'l  never  do  what  you  would  have  mee. 
—Do  what  you  will,  yett  with  the  Help  of  Christ,  IT  never 
touch  your  Book. — Do,  Burn  mee  then,  if  you  will;  Better 
Burn  here,  then  [than]  Burn  in  Hell."  But  when  her  Torturer 
went  off,  Then  t'was  that  her  senses  being  still  detained  in  a 
Captivity  to  Spectres,  as  the  only  object  of  them,  Wee  were 
Ear-witnesses  to  Disputacions  that  amazed  us.  Indeed  Wee 
could  not  hear  what  They  said  unto  her;  nor  could  shee  her- 
self hear  them  ordinarily  without  causing  them  to  say  over 
again:  But  Wee  could  Hear  Her  Answers,  and  from  her 
Answers  Wee  could  usually  gather  the  Tenour  of  Their  As- 
saults. One  very  Frequent  Theam  with  Them  was  Railing 
and  Slander  against  a  certain  Person  in  the  Town,1  Whom 
shee  often  quoted  in  her  Arguments  against  the  Divel,  and  at 
Whom,  shee  thought,  the  Divel  had  a  very  particular  Provoca- 

1This  "certain  person,"  like  the  "one  man"  of  the  following  sentence, 
was  of  course  Mather  himself:  it  must  be  remembered  that  this  account  waa 
meant  to  seem  anonymous. 


268         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

tion  and  Malignity.  Yea,  There  was  One  Man  Who  on  a  cer- 
tain Sabbath  had  solemnly  prayed  for  her  (I  think  hee  said) 
no  less  than  Ten  Times.  Four  of  which  Times,  were  with  her 
too,  and  yett  wee  perceived  the  Divel  at  Night  Reviling  that 
man  unto  her,  with  telling  her,  That  hee  had  not  in  the  Day 
past  pray'd  for  her  so  much  as  Once!  But  the  cheef  Argu- 
ment held  between  Her  and  Them,  was  upon  the  Business  of 
Signing  the  Book,  by  Them  tendred  unto  Her. — In  the  Han- 
dling of  this  Argument,  innumerable  Things  were  uttered  by 
her  which  would  have  been  more  Agreeable  to1  One  of  a  greater 
Elevation  in  Christianity;  but  omitting  multitudes  of  such 
passages,  I  shall  record  a  few,  which  were  to  This  Purpose. 

Oh  You  horrid  Wretch!  You  make  my  very  Heart  cold  within 
mee.  It  is  an  Hell  to  mee,  to  hear  You  speak  so!  What?  Are 
You  God  ¥  No,  bee  gone,  You  Divel !  Don't  pester  mee  any  more 
with  such  horrid  Blasphemies! 

You!  Do  You  say  that  You  are  Christ !  No,  You  are  a  Divel, 
and  I  hope  that  Christ  will  shortly  deliver  mee  from  such  a  Divel.— 
The  Christ  of  God  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  is  Lost,  such 
as  I  am;  but  as  for  You,  You  come  to  seek  and  confound  all  that  you 
can  light  upon. 

If  You  are  Christ,  Pray  how  came  you  by  that  Cloven  Foot?— 
If  You  are  a  Christ  I  am  sure  you  are  a  very  odious  One;  You  shall 
bee  no  Christ  for  mee. — Pray,  go  about  Your  Business;  if  You  are 
Christ,  yett  I  tell  you  plainly,  You  shall  bee  none  of  my  Christ.  I 
know  of  a  Better  Christ;  and  Him  will  I  follow. — You,  a  Christ! 
No,  You  are  a  Beast.  If  You  had  not  been  a  Beast,  would  You  have 
asked  of  our  Lord  that  Hee  would  give  You  leave  to  enter  into  an 
Herd  of  Swine! — I  think  truly,  That  Hogs  are  the  fittest  company 
for  You! — Would  You  know  my  mind?  Why  then,  I  say  this: — 
When  You  have  become  a  Man,  and  have  suffered  a  cruel  Death  on 
a  Cross  for  me;  and  when  you  have  Reconciled  me  to  God,  and  been 
some  Ages  in  Heaven  powerfully  Interceding  for  my  Salvation  from 
the  Divel, — Then  come  to  mee  again,  and  I  shall  have  something 
further  to  say  to  You. — In  the  meantime  I  say  to  You,  In  the  Name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  Beegone! 

You  pretend  a  precious  deal  of  Love  to  mee  indeed!  If  You 
Love  mee  so  much,  pray,  why  do  you  Starve  mee?  I  am  een  fam- 
ished; It  is  Nine  Dayes  now,  that  I  have  not  eaten  one  bitt  of 
Victuals. 

1  More  suitable  for. 


1G92]     C.  MATHER,   BRAND  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING       269 

Fine  Promises!  You'l  bestow  an  Husband  upon  mee,  if  I'l  bee 
your  Servant.  An  Husband!  What?  A  Divel!  I  shall  then  bee 
finely  ntted  with  an  Husband:  No  I  hope  the  Blessed  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  will  marry  my  Soul  to  Himself  yett  before  Hee  has  done  with 
mee,  as  poor  a  Wretch  as  I  am! — Fine  Clothes!  What?  Such  as 
Your  Friend  Sarah  Good1  had,  who  hardly  had  Rags  to  cover  her! 
Pray  why  did  you  not  provide  better  for  Her  Then? — Never  Dy! 
What?  Is  my  Life  in  Your  Hands?  No,  if  it  had,  You  had  killed 
mee  long  before  this  Time! — Whats  that? — So  You  can! — Do  it 
then,  if  You  can.  Come,  I  dare  You;  here,  I  challenge  You  to  do 
it.  Kill  mee  if  You  can. — Poor  Fool! — But  hark  Yee!  If  you  can 
keep  your  Servants  alive,  the  more  false  Wretch  you,  to  lett  the 
Halter  choke  the  Witches  that  were  hanged  the  t'other  Day!  tho' 
You  promised  them,  that  when  the  Halters  were  about  their  Necks, 
You  would  come  and  Rescue  them! 

You  talk  of  carrying  mee  to  Heaven!  It  makes  mee  think  of 
Goody  Carrier;2  pray  whither  did  you  carry  her? — Heaven!  What 
a  foolish  Question  is  that?  Was  I  ever  there?  No,  I  never  was 
there;  but  I  hope  I  shall  be  there;  and  I  believe  what  I  have  heard 
and  read  in  the  Word  of  God  concerning  it.  I  confess,  You  were 
once  in  Heaven;  but  God  for  Your  Pride,  hurled  you  thence;  and 
You  shall  never  come  there  again. — They  that  follow  You,  will  mis- 
take the  Way  to  Heaven,  I'l  promise  'em.  Hee  that  has  the  Divel 
for  his  Leader  must  bee  content  with  Hell  for  his  Lodging. — Hell! 
Yee  Lying  Wretch,  I  have  catch'd  you  in  an  hundred  Lyes;  WTho 
would  beleeve  one  Word  You  say?  Yesterday  or  t'otherday,  You 
told  mee  there  was  no  Hell;  and  now  You  tell  mee,  that  One  may 
come  out  of  Hell  when  they  will.  Pray  then,  Lett  Sarah  Good  come; 
if  I  could  see  her,  I  am  confident  shee  would  tell  mee  that  Hell  is  a 
terrible  place;  and  I  know  there  is  no  coming  out. — But  if  all  the 
Wood  in  this  World  were  laid  in  One  Fire,  it  would  not  bee  so  dread- 
ful as  Hell;  that  Hell,  whither  You  carry  all  that  follow  You.  They 
are  out  of  there  Wits  that  will  serve  such  a  Divel. 

Well  if  You  do  Burn  mee,  I  had  better  Burn  for  an  Hour  or  Two 
here  then  in  Hell  forever. — What?  Will  you  Burn  all  Boston  and 
shall  I  bee  Burnt  in  that  Fire? — No,  tis  not  in  Your  Power.  I  hope 
God  won't  lett  you  do  that.  (Memorandum,  The  Night  after  these 
Words  were  spoken,  the  Town  had  like  to  have  been  burn't;  but 
God  wonderfully  prevented  it.)  What? — Germany? — Was  that 
Place  in  Germany  as  big  as  Boston? — Well,  I  hope  that  in  spite  of 
You,  Boston  shall  stand  until  the  Great  Burning  of  all;  and  I  pray 
what  will  come  of  You  Then! — Safe  enough! — How,  Safe  enough? — 

1  See  pp.  343  ff.,  414.  2  See  pp.  241  ff. 


270        NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

Among  the  Jews! — Why,  what  will  you  do  among  Them?  They'l 
have  none  such  as  You  among  them,  I  warrant  yee! 

Stay,  One  at  once! — Well,  And  is  that  all  that  You  have  to  say? 
—Pray  then,  Hear  what  I  have  to  say. — I  say  this,  That  when  You, 
yee  filthy  Witches,  first  gave  yourselves  to  your  Black  Master  there, 
it  was  the  worst  Dayes  work  that  ever  You  did  in  Your  Lives.  And 
I  seriously  advise  you  all,  to  Repent  of  what  You  have  done.  I  hope 
tis  not  altogether  Too  late,  at  least  for  some  of  you,  to  Repent. — 
Tho'  you  have  done  mee  so  much  Wrong,  yett  I  heartily  wash  you  so 
much  Good,  as  Repentance  and  Conversion. — O  that  you  would  fall 
down  before  the  God  against  Whom  you  have  sinned,  and  beg  of 
Him,  that  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ,  Hee  would  pardon  your  hor- 
rible sin. — If  You  won't  take  this  Counsil,  I  think,  twil  bee  no  Hurt 
to  wish  that  God  would  bring  you  out,  and  that  you  may  Dy  for  what 
you  have  done  and  that  the  World  may  be  no  longer  troubled  with  you. 

Whats  that?  Must  the  Younger  Women,  do  yee  say,  hearken  to 
the  Elder? — They  must  bee  another  Sort  of  Elder  Women  than  You 
then!  they  must  not  bee  Elder  Witches,  I  am  sure.  Pray,  do  you 
for  once  Hearken  to  mee. — What  a  dreadful  Sight  are  You!  An 
Old  Woman,  an  Old  Servant  of  the  Divel!  You,  that  should  instruct 
such  poor,  young,  Foolish  Creatures  as  I  am,  to  serve  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  come  and  urge  mee  to  serve  the  Divel!  Tis  an  horrible  Thing! 
— And  pray,  how  durst  You,  after  You  had  given  yourself  to  the  Divel, 
come  to  the  Table  of  the  Lord :  I  profess  I  wonder  the  Divel  did  not 
come  and  fetch  you  away  alive! — But  God  is  a  long-suffering  God! 

Well;  and  what  if  I  am  Fatherless?  How  often  have  you  told 
mee  of  That?  No,  I  been't  Fatherless.  I  have  God  for  my  Father 
and  I  don't  Question  but  Hee'l  provide  well  for  me.  Has  not  Hee 
upheld  mee  all  the  while?  I  had  signed  your  Book  before  now,  if 
God  had  not  kept  mee  with  His  Grace.  You  had  before  now  made 
an  end  of  mee,  if  God  had  not  stood  by  mee.  And  I  beleeve  that 
God  will  yett  deliver  mee  out  of  your  Cruel  Hands. 

You  are  Wicked  Wretches.  What  do  you  show  mee  the  Shape 
of  that  good  Woman  for?  I  know  her.  Shee's  a  good  Woman. 
Shee  never  did  mee  any  Hurt.  Yett  you  would  fain  have  mee  cry 
out  of  her.  But  I  will  bee  so  far  from  crying  out  of  Her  that  I  will 
not  cry  out  of  You;  I  don't  know  what  Tricks  you  have  gott;  but 
I  hope  God  will  keep  mee  from  letting  fall  one  word  that  may  blast 
the  Name  of  any  Person  in  the  World.  I  will  never  tell  any  body, 
who  you  are  that  have  Tormented  mee,  only  it  may  bee  I  may  tell 
One  Gentleman1  who  will  be  as  careful,  that  no  Harm  should  come 
on't,  as  I  can  desire  him. — How  ever  I  hope  God  will  find  you  out. 

1  The  "one  Gentleman"  hinted  at  is  of  course  to  be  understood  as  Mather. 


1692]     C.  MATHER,  BRAND  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING       271 

Truly  I  am  in  a  very  miserable  Condicion.  Tis  a  sad  Thing  to 
ly  starving  in  the  Dark  one  Day  after  another,  and  to  see  none  but 
Hellish  Fiends  all  the  While,  and  suffer  all  manner  of  cruelties  from 
them. — You  tell  me,  that  some  do  but  Laugh  at  mee;  I  am  sure, 
they  would  do  better  to  Pray  for  mee. — You  say,  that  such  and  such 
are  in  the  Room;  Why  won't  you  lett  mee  see  them  then? 

Well,  I  am  perswaded,  that  yett  for  all  this  I  shall  bee  gloriously 
delivered,  and  God  will  have  a  great  deal  of  Glory.  Had  I  not  be- 
longed unto  God,  I  can't  think  that  you  would  have  made  such  a 
Deal  of  aDo  to  gett  mee  into  your  Hands.  And  if  God  had  not  a 
purpose  to  make  mee  one  of  His  own  Servants,  I  can't  but  think  Hee 
would  have  left  mee  before  now  to  become  one  of  Yours. — What  a 
blessed  thing  will  this  bee!  I  can't  butt  think  that  You  are  very 
shortly  to  loose  mee,  both  Body  and  Soul  too,  and  that  what  You  have 
been  doing  to  my  Body,  will  but  help  forward  the  Everlasting  Sal- 
vacion  of  my  Soul.  It  makes  my  Heart  Rejoice,  to  think  how  finely 
You'l  bee  cheated! 

Memorandum.  T'was  an  ordinary  thing  for  the  Divel  to 
persecute  her  with  Stories  of  what  this  and  that  Body  in  the 
Town  spoke  against  her.  The  Unjust  and  Absurd  Reflections 
cast  upon  her  by  Rash  People  in  the  coffee-houses  or  elsewhere, 
Wee  discerned  that  the  Divel  Reported  such  Passages  unto 
her  in  her  Fitts,  to  discourage  her.  But  shee  bore  those  Trials 
as  well  as  the  rest. 

§  15.  But  when  shee  had  so  much  Release  from  the  capti- 
vating Impressions  of  the  Wretches  that  haunted  her,  as  to  bee 
able  to  see  and  hear  the  Good  People  about  her  in  the  Room, 
Shee  underwent  another  sort  of  plague,  which  I  don't  Remem- 
ber that  ever  I  observed  in  more  than  One  or  Two  Bewitched 
person[s]  besides  her.  Her  Tortures  were  turned  into  Frolicks; 
and  Shee  became  as  extravagant  as  a  Wild-cat.  Shee  now  had 
her  Imaginacion  so  strangely  disordered,  that  shee  must  not 
Acknowledge  any  of  her  Friends;  but  tho'  shee  Retained  a 
Secret  Notion,  Who  wee  were,  yett  shee  might  by  no  means 
confess  it.  Shee  would  sometimes  have  diverse  of  these  Fitts 
in  a  Day,  and  shee  was  always  excessively  Witty  in  them; 
never  downright  Profane,  but  yett  sufficiently  Insolent  and 
Abusive  to  such  as  were  about  her.  And  in  these  Fitts  also 
shee  took  an  extraordinary  Liberty  (which  I  have  likewise 
noted  in  some  other  possessed  Persons)  to  animadvert  upon  all 


272        NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

People,  that  had  any  thing  in  their  Apparrel  that  savoured 
of  Curiosity  or  Ornament.  Her  Apprehension,  Understanding, 
and  Memory,  were  now  Riper  than  ever  in  her  Life ;  and  yett, 
when  shee  was  herself,  Shee  could  Remember  the  other  Acci- 
dents of  her  Afflictions  but  Forgot  almost  everything  that 
passed  in  these  Ludicrous  Intervals. 

§  16.  There  was  this  Remarkable  in  these  Frolicks,  that  al- 
tho'  shee  could  Hear  and  Make  all  manner  of  other  Discourse, 
yett  shee  might  bee  partaker  of  None  that  had  anything  of 
Religeon  in  it:  Her  Ear  would  immediately  bee  stop'd,  if 
wee  spoke  any  good  Thing,  and  her  Mouth,  if  shee  went  to 
speak  any  such  Thing.  Nevertheless,  the  charms  upon  her 
were  so  circumstanced,  that  wee  were  able  by  little  Tricks  and 
Signs  to  make  her  sensible  of  many  Devout  Things,  after  which 
her  Cravings  were  so  greedy  that  shee  would  sometimes  cry 
for  vexation  (as  Frolicksome  as  shee  was)  if  shee  missed  of 
presently  comprehending  us.  If  any  Prayers  or  Psalms  were 
used  in  the  Room,  shee  could  not  Hear  a  Word ;  and  yett  could 
hear  the  least  Whisper  of  any  thing  else  that  passed,  even  in 
that  very  Instant.  Shee  would  importunately  require  us  to 
Pray;  yett  shee  might  not  utter  that  Word  but  say  "Do— 
You  know  what" ;  or,  "  Do,  what  You  use  to  do."  And  when 
wee  had  any  thing  to  say  unto  her  about  Prayer,  wee  could 
make  her  hear  tho'  not  the  Word  itself  (much  less  the  Thing) 
yett  the  Letters  of  the  Word  severally]  mentioned.  The  Spel 
upon  her  was  not  such  but  that  a  good  Word  might  bee  Spelt, 
when  it  could  not  bee  Spoke  unto  her.  I  give  One  Specimen 
of  the  way  wee  took  to  convey  unto  her  mind,  those  Religious 
Notions,  whereto  shee  had  a  manifested  Inclination.  Shee 
cry'd  unto  a  Minister,1  that  hee  would  tell  her  what  shee  should 
say  to  Them,  When  They  should  again  assault  her.  Hee  there- 
upon advised  her,  "  Mercy,  tell  'em,  That  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
has  broke  the  Old  Serpents  Head."  And  the  communication 
that  follow'd,  was  after  this  fashion. 

Mer.    What  do  you  say? 

Min.     I  say,  Tell  'em,  That  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  broken 
the  Old  Serpents  Head. — Can  you  hear? 
Mer.    No.     I  can't  hear  a  Word. 

1  Mather  of  course  again  means  himself. 


1692]     C.  MATHER,   BRAND  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING       273 

Min.  Well,  then;  mind  mee  and  you  shall  Know  what  you 
can't  Hear. — A  Snake. — Mercy,  can  you  hear? 

Mer.    Yes. 

Min.    Well, — An  Old  Snake. — can  you  hear? 

Mer.    Yes, — well,  what  of  an  old  snake? 

Min.  (Striking  with  his  Finger  on  his  Forhead)  Why,  His 
Head  broke. — D'ye  Hear? 

Mer.    Yes;  and  what  then? 

Min.  (Pointing  up  to  Heaven.)  Why,  Who  broke  it?  D'yee 
mind? 

Mer.    Oh!    I  understand. — Well,  what  else  shall  I  tell  them? 

After  this  rate,  a  Minister  in  two  or  three  Minutes  once 
made  her  apprehend  about  Seven  or  Eight  Things  Wherewith 
shee  might  [maintain]  herself  against  the  Spectres.  And  when 
They  came  next  upon  her,  shee  had  all  of  them  up  unto  her 
Troublers  with  a  Readiness  and  Exactness  beyond  what  the 
minister  supposed  hee  could  himself  have  had  if  hee  had  been 
putt  upon  Repeating  them.  I  mention  This  with  the  more  of 
particularity,  because  it  affords  a  Matter  of  Curious  Reflec- 
tion. 

Moreover,  While  shee  was  in  these  Frolicks,  it  seems  that 
shee  was  able  still  to  see  what  Spectres  were  hovering  about 
her  chamber,  and  how  They  were  employed.  Shee  shook  for 
fear,  when  shee  saw  them  once  preparing  an  Image  in  the 
Room;  wherefrom  shee  foretold,  That  the  Image  being  formed 
in  order  to  her  Torment,  Shee  should  have  a  Terrible  Eve- 
ning on't.  And  so  shee  had!  But  shee  afterwards  told  one 
in  whose  custody  that  Image  might  bee  found.  At  an  other 
time,  Shee  fell  a  Laughing  at  One  in  the  Room,1  and  asked 
him,  Whether  hee  had  not  a  Gold  Ring  about  him?  Hee 
knew  hee  had,  and  look'd  for  it  in  the  pocket  where  hee  knew  it 
was,  but  it  was  missing;  and  Shee,  laughing,  told  him,  That 
a  Spectre  had  newly  taken  it  out;  but,  said  shee,  "Look  in 
such  a  Place  and  you  shall  find  it."  Accordingly,  hee  Look'd 
and  Found.  Shee  added,  "They  said,  that  if  hee  putt  it  on, 
They  would  have  it  off  his  Finger  again  before  hee  gott  home." 
Hee,  to  spite  Them,  Try'd ;  but  tho'  hee  diverse  times  between 
That  and  Home,  thought  his  Finger  taken  with  an  odd  Numb- 
ness, yett  hee  kept  it  on. 

1  Unquestionably  himself  again. 


274         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

§  17.  As  for  the  Spectres  that  Visited  and  Afflicted  Mercy 
Short,  there  were  among  them  such  as  wore  the  shape  of  sev- 
eral, who  are  doubtless  Innocent  as  to  the  Crime  of  Witch- 
craft; it  would  bee  a  great  Iniquity  in  Mee,  to  judge  them 
otherwise;  and  the  World,  I  hope,  shall  neither  by  My  means, 
nor  by  Hers,  ever  know,  who  they  were.  But  there  is  Cause 
to  fear  that  some  few  of  the  persons  thus  Represented,  are  as 
Dangerous  and  as  Damnable  \Vitches  as  ever  were  in  the  World ; 
altho  These  also  must  bee  covered  until  there  bee  more  Cause 
for  their  being  made  obnoxious.  However,  tis  a  very  dark 
Dispensacion  of  Divine  Providence,  and  such  as  carries  much 
Humilliation  in  it,  that  an  Innocent  Person  should  bee,  tho'  but 
in  Effigie,  Randevouz'd  among  these  Fiends  of  Darkness.  And 
concerning  these  Diabolical  Spectres,  wee  mark'd  sundry  other 
Things  that  were  beyond  measure  Odd.  One  was  This:  The 
Honest  man,  who  had  given  entertainment  unto  this  distressed 
Mercy,  observing  that  when  shee  lay,  as  to  us  wholly  senseless, 
the  motion  of  her  Eyes  did  intimate  whereabouts  the  Spectres 
cheefly  play'd,  hee  silently  fetch'd  a  Sword,  with  a  purpose  to 
make  a  pass  at  them.  Nevertheless,  if  hee  did  but  go  at  any 
time  to  take  the  Sword  into  his  hand,  tho'  shee  could  not  pos- 
sibly discern  any  thing  of  it,  yett  her  Eyes  would  presently  bee 
shutt,  and  her  Head  pull'd  into  Bed,  so  that  hee  must  loose  the 
Direction  which  her  Looke  had  given  him.  I  cannot  say  that 
This  Oddity  would  bear  an  Inference  that  the  Witches  were 
any  of  them  Corporeally  tho'  Invisibly  present  in  the  Chamber. 
But  there  was  Another,  that  would  make  one  suspect  they 
might.  On  the  twenty-fifth  of  December  it  was,1  that  Mercy 
said,  They  were  going  to  have  a  Dance ;  and  immediately  those 
that  were  attending  her,  most  plainly  Heard  and  Felt  a  Dance, 
as  of  Barefooted  People,  upon  the  Floor;  whereof  they  are 
willing  to  make  oath  before  any  Lawful  Authority.  If  I 
should  now  venture  to  suppose,  That  the  Witches  do  some- 
times come  in  person  to  do  their  Mischiefs,  and  yett  have  the 
horrible  skill  of  cloathing  themselves  with  Invisibilities,  it 
would  seem  Romantic.  And  yett  I  am  inclinable  to  think  it, 
upon  Reasons  more  than  tis  here  a  Place  to  mention.  But  in 
my  Opinion,  Tis  not  more  Incredible,  or  Inscrutable,  than  what 

1  Modern  readers  may  need  to  be  reminded  of  the  Puritan  horror  of  the 
celebration  of  Christmas,  and  even  of  the  use  of  its  name. 


1692]     C.  MATHER,  BRAND  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING       275 

I  am  going  to  Relate;  namely,  That  altho'  wee  have  all  the 
Demonstration  a  Reasonable  man  can  desire,  that  Mercy  Short 
could  not  in  the  least  measure  Hear,  when  wee  were  perhaps 
Half  an  Hundred  of  us  together  singing  of  a  Psalm  in  the 
Room;  nevertheless,  at  that  very  Time,  shee  could  Hear  a 
little  Knock  of  a  little  Child  at  the  Door.  I  say,  the  Phi- 
losophy that  can  give  an  Account  for  the  One  of  these  may  do 
it  for  t'other  too! 

§  18.  There  were  some  strange  things  attending  of  Mercy 
Short,  whereof  some  were  at  some  Loss  about  the  Original, 
whence  they  should  proceed.  It  was  marvellous  to  Hear  how 
much  her  Answers  to  the  Spectres  transcended  her  ordinary 
capacity.  That  shee  should  so  patiently  and  resolutely  undergo 
her  Intolerable  Torments,  when  one  Stroke  of  her  Finger 
would  have  eased  them  all,  is  yet  more  marvellous.  But  that 
which  carries  most  of  marvel  in  it,  is,  The  Impulse  which 
directed  her  unto  the  Scriptures  that  might  have  assisted  or 
quickened  us  in  our  Devotions,  If  wee  had  seen  Cause  to  have 
made  that  Use  of  them.  In  her  Trances,  a  Bible  Happening 
to  ly  on  her  Bed,  shee  has  taken  it  up,  and  without  ever  cast- 
ing her  Eye  upon  it,  shee  has  Turned  over  many  Leaves,  at 
last  folding  down  a  Leaf  to  a  Text,  I  holding  up  the  Text  unto 
the  Spectres;  but  of  all  the  Texts  in  the  Bible,  which  do  you 
think  it  was?  T'was  That,  in  Rev.  12.  12,  The  Divel  is  come 
down  unto  you,  having  great  Wrath,  because  hee  knows  hee  hath 
but  a  short  Time.  Again,  in  her  Humours,  calling  for  a  Psalm- 
book,  shee  has,  in  the  Dark,  turned  over  many  Leaves,  and  at 
length,  without  Reading  a  Syllable,  shee  has  turn'd  down  a 
Leaf  to  a  Psalm,  advising  us  to  go  sing  it,  on  her  behalf.  I  do 
affirm  That  no  man  living  ever  could  have  singled  out  Psalms 
more  expressive  of,  and  suitable  to,  her  circumstances,  than 
those  that  shee  pitch'd  upon.  One  of  them,  I  remember,  was 
the  Beginning  of  the  Hundred  and  second.  And  when  One 
present  said,  "No,  Lett  us  not  sing  that  psalm:  it  may  bee 
tis  They  direct  it ;  and  it  won't  bee  good  for  us  to  follow  Their 
Direction";  She  reply'd  with  Indignacion,  "They,  Fool!  No, 
Tis  not  They  direct  mee;  Do  you  think  They  would  go  to 
to  direct  a  fitt  psalm  for  my  Condicion?  No,  My  Direction 
comes  from  another  Quarter;  If  you  would  know  Whence,  the 
first  letter  of  the  Name  is  G" —  (it  seems,  that  shee  could  not 


276         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

speak  out  the  Word.)  When  shee  came  to  herself,  shee  told 
mee,  her  manner  was  to  Turn  the  Leaves,  till  t'was  Darted 
into  her  Mind  that  shee  had  the  Place;  and  there  shee  folded. 
Moreover,  shee  did  sometimes  with  much  vehemency  exclaim, 
That  there  were  (three  perhaps,  or  six)  persons  in  the  Room, 
that  never  pray'd  so  much  as  once  in  all  their  Lives :  and  shee 
was  importunate  that  a  Minister  then  in  the  Room1  would  go 
drive  those  Prayerless  Wretches  out  of  the  Room.  The  Min- 
ister chid  her,  and  said,  If  there  were  any  such,  hee  knew  not 
how  to  distinguish  them,  and  hee  would  not  ask  her  to  do  it 
for  him.  "Well,  its  no  matter,"  said  shee,  "take  but  a  Candle 
then  and  look  in  their  Faces,  and  you'l  know  by  their  Blushing 
who  they  are;  Turn  them  out  that  Blush."  But  all  that  the 
Minister  did,  was  to  warn  the  Company,  That  if  any  of  them 
had  the  guilt  of  a  Prayerless  Life  upon  their  Consciences,  they 
must  Repent  of  it,  or  know  who  was  well  acquainted  with  it. 
Nevertheless  there  was  cause  given  to  fear  too  much  of  Truth 
in  the  Accusacion. 

§  19.  The  Methods  that  were  taken  for  the  Deliverance  of 
Mr.  Goodwins  afflicted  Family,  four  years  ago,2  were  the  very- 
same  that  wee  now  follow'd  for  Mercy  Short ;  and  Shee  would 
herself  most  affectionately  express  her  own  Desires,  that  none 
but  Such  might  bee  taken.  Had  wee  not  studiously  suppressed 
all  Clamours  and  Rumours  that  might  have  touched  the  Repu- 
tacion  of  people  exhibited  in  this  Witchcraft,  there  might  have 
ensued  most  uncomfortable  Uproars.  But  Prayer  with  Fast- 
ing wee  knew  to  bee  a  course  against  which  none  but  men  most 
bruitishly  Atheistical  (and  yett  such  there  are  among  us) 
could  make  Exceptions.  Wherefore  a  number  of  Pious  People 
did  ordinarily  every  Day  go  in  and  Pray  with  her;  and  whereas 
many  of  our  People  had  some  singularly  grounded  perswasions, 
that  no  Exercise  of  Religion  did  give  so  much  Vexacion  unto 
the  Spectres  in  the  Haunted  Chamber,  as  the  Singing  of  Psalms, 
they  commonly  sang  between  almost  every  Prayer.  But  they 
judg'd  it  necessary  to  Fast  as  well  as  Pray :  and  as  I  have  had 
opportunity  to  see,  in  some  former  Dispossessions,  the  People 
of  God  usually  speed  not,  until  they  do  what  may  bee  called 
A  Beseech[ing  of]  the  Lord  Thrice;  Thus  the  Christians  here 
were  putt  upon  spending  Three  Dayes  in  Fasting  and  Prayer 

1  Again  himself,  of  course.  *  For  that  story  see  pp.  99  ff.,  above. 


1693]     C.  MATHER,  BRAND  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING       277 

one  quickly  after  another :  And  indeed,  it  was  the  special  Grace 
of  God,  that  carried  the  Faith  of  His  poor  Servants  thro'  the 
Difficulty  of  beholding  the  Rage  of  the  Divel  to  grow  under 
and  against  all  their  Prayer  for  the  conquering  of  that  Rage. 

Some  of  us  had  fearful  Suggestions  of  Unbeleef  now  and 
then  buzz'd  into  our  Minds;  and  (which  was  a  little  suprizing!) 
the  Divel  in  the  Next  Fitts  would  sometimes  tell  Mercy  Short 
what  they  were.  It  was  also  remarkable  that  when  wee  were 
intending  a  Day  of  Prayer,  the  Spectres  would  ussually  advise 
her  of  our  Intention,  and  brag  that  They  would  hinder  the 
People  from  coming:  According  to  which  Brag  of  Theirs, 
t'was  wonderful  to  see  how  many  Pious  Christians  that  were 
desirous  to  have  been  with  us  were  hindered  of  their  Desires, 
by  unexpected  occasions  pressing  in  upon  them.  However, 
Many  of  the  Children  of  God  in  the  Neighbourhood  were 
helped  by  Him  to  an  extraordinary  exercise  of  Grace,  and  while 
some  in  the  Town  who  by  their  profession  were  under  obliga- 
cion  to  better  things,  kept  Scoffing,  Railing,  Raving,  These 
kept  Praying,  Fasting  and  Beleeving.  Until  at  Length,  Meat 
came  out  of  the  Eater! — As  her  Deliverance  drew  near,  it  was 
with  her  as  I  have  seen  in  one  more  Possessed  Person.  A 
strange  Fancy  of  Dying  Possessed  her,  and  her  Discourse  ran 
much  upon  her  Funeral.  Wee  then  quickly  saw  the  Death 
and  Burial  of  the  Trouble  now  upon  her. 

§  20.  It  was  not  long  after  the  Third  Fast,  that  on  the 
evening  before  the  Sabbath,  which  began  this  New- Year,  1693, 
Mercy  Short  fell  into  a  Fitt  of  Despair  wherein  her  Anguishes 
exceeded  any  that  had  bin  yett  upon  her.  The  Spectres  kept 
continually  howling  in  her  Ears,  That  God  had  utterly  cast 
her  off,  and  that  shee  was  to  bee  Damned  after  all.  But  that 
which  made  all  the  misery  was,  that  in  this  point  they  so 
gain'd  upon  her,  as  they  had  never  done  before;  that  is,  they 
made  her  almost  conclude  that  what  they  said  of  this  matter, 
had  something  of  Truth  in  it.  And  the  dolours  now  Raised 
in  her  were  inexpressible!  Shee  Shriek'd,  shee  Roar'd,  shee 
Cry'd  out,  "This  is  worse  than  all  the  Rest!  What?  must  I 
bee  Banished  from  the  Favour  of  God  after  all?"  Yea,  shee 
imagined  that  the  Spectres  were  indeed  fetching  of  her  away! 
In  this  Agony,  shee  call'd  for  a  Minister  in  the  Neighbourhood ; 
upon  whose  coming  in,  shee  quickly  called  for  her  Clothes, 


278         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

dressed  herself,  and  came  to  him,  with  a  Countenance  marvel- 
lously altered  into  a  Look  of  Discretion  and  Gravity ;  and  shee 
said,  "Now,  Go,  and  Give  to  the  Great  God,  the  greatest 
Thanks  you  can  devise;  for  I  am  gloriously  delivered!  My 
Troubles  are  gone,  and  I  hope  they'l  visit  mee  no  more."  It 
seems  They  left  her,  just  before,  in  very  Raging  Terms,  and 
said,  They  had  no  further  Power  over  her.  Shee  has  ever 
since  continued  free  from  her  Invisible  Troublers;  only  they 
left  her  extremely  Faint  and  Weak.  But  the  Neighbourhood 
then  returned  solemn  Thanks  to  that  Faithful  God,  who  thus 
gave  them  to  Tread  upon  the  Lion,  and  to  Trample  the  Dragon 
underfoot. 

§  21.  Mercy  Short  having  obtained  this  Deliverance,  did 
for  a  Sabbath  of  Weeks  Enjoy  What  shee  had  obtained;  yett 
not  without  frequent  Fainting  and  Swooning  Fits,  that  seem'd 
the  Effect  of  the  weakness  wherein  the  Torments  of  her  former 
Enchantment  left  her.  But  at  the  End  of  Seven  Weeks,  her 
Invisible  Tormentors  again  siezed  her  on  a  Lords  Day,  in  the 
midst  of  the  Assembly  then  meeting  at  North  Boston,  for  the 
Worship  of  God;  just  before  which  unhappy  siezure  shee 
thought  shee  felt  the  Threatnings  of  it,  in  unaccountable  Dis- 
orders, and  in  a  scent  of  Brimstone  haunting  of  her  Lodgings. 
The  Spectres  now  under  the  Conduct  of  their  Black  Leader, 
handled  the  poor  Young  Woman  for  the  most  part  just  as  they 
did  in  the  former  Visitation ;  but  rather  with  more  Vigour  and 
Fury,  and  such  as  wee  judged  could  not  but  putt  a  Speedy 
End  unto  her  Life. 

§  22.  The  Impudence  of  the  Troublesome  Spectres  was  now 
somewhat  more  Daring  and  Broad-faced  than  formerly.  It 
grew  common  with  them  to  snatch  from  her  such  Apples  and 
Biskets,  as  were  given  her  to  Try  whether  shee  could  eat  them; 
so  that  no  more  could  ever  bee  seen  of  them.  And  Mercy 
Short  affirm'd,  That  shee  saw  the  Spectres  (tho'  wee  could 
not,)  eating  them  in  the  Room,  what  wee  perceived  they  had 
stolen  from  her.  And  whether  it  were  from  the  Mistake  or 
from  the  Malice  of  the  Spectres,  it  was  no  Rare  Thing  for  the 
Standers-by  to  have  their  Arms  cruelly  scratched,  and  Pins 
thrust  into  their  Flesh,  by  these  Fiends,  while  they  were 
molesting  of  Mercy  Short.  Yea,  several  Persons  did  some- 
times actually  lay  their  Hands  upon  these  Fiends;  the  Wretches 


1693]     C.   MATHER,  BRAND  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING       279 

were  Palpable,  while  yett  they  were  not  Visible,  and  several  of 
our  People,  tho'  they  Saw  nothing,  yett  Felt  a  Substance  that 
seem'd  like  a  Cat,  or  Dog,  and  tho'  they  were  not  Fanciful, 
they  Dy'd  away  at  the  Fright!  This  Thing  was  too  Sensible 
and  Repeated  a  Thing,  to  bee  pure  Imaginacion.  I  suspected, 
That  one  Thing  which  more  heightened  the  Boldness  of  the 
Spectres,  was  the  Freedom  used  by  some  of  our  Folks  in  striking 
with  swords,  at  the  parts  of  the  Room  where  they  conjectured 
Them  to  bee  Hovering.  It  was  particularly  remarkable,  That 
some  who  were  very  Busy  in  this  method  of  treating  the  Spec- 
tres, upon  a  presumption  that  they  might  bee  corporally  pres- 
ent, (tho'  covered  with  such  a  Cloud  of  Invisibilitie  as  Virgil, 
I  remember,  gave  once  unto  his  Eneas),  were  terribly  scared 
with  Apparitions  in  their  journeyes  home,  whereof,  tho'  they 
made  no  manner  of  Report,  yett  Mercy  Short  was  presently 
after  able  to  tell  her  Attendents ;  as  having  heard  the  Spectres 
brag  unto  her,  and  unto  one  another,  how  They  had  paid  such 
and  such  for  striking  at  them.  They  were  another  sort  of 
Weapons,  unto  which  therefore  I  advised  my  Neighber;  even 
the  Ancient  Arms  of  the  Church. 

§  23.  In  the  new  Assault,  They  did  not  make  the  poor  Dam- 
sels Fast  extend  much  above  a  Week;  tho'  about  so  long  They 
did.  After  That,  shee  gott  Liberty  once  in  Two  or  Three  Days, 
or  so,  to  swallow  a  Mouthful  or  Two  of  some  Refreshment. 
Her  other  Fits  were  such  as  formerly  attended  her;  but  in  her 
Frolicks,  I  found  the  Charms  upon  her  so  feeble  that  altho'  shee 
might  not  Hear  a  Word  of  Religion,  (after  the  hearing  whereof 
her  Longings  were  nevertheless  very  passionate),  yett  there 
was  No  Word,  but  what  wee  could  make  her  Hear,  by  spelling 
it  unto  her.  Even  those  words,  God,  Christ,  Lord,  Jesus,  Soul, 
Sin,  Heaven,  Hell,  Angels,  Divels,  Witches,  which  They  would 
never  permitt  her  to  Hear  in  any  kind  of  Discourse  what  ever, 
yett  wee  could  make  her  Hear  by  Spelling  of  them.  More- 
over One  of  her  Neighber[s]  using  a  little  Ingenuity,  related 
a  great  part  of  the  Histories  in  the  Bible  unto  her,  while  shee 
was  in  these  Humors,  and  helped  her  to  apply  them  unto  her 
own  comfortable  Direction  and  Encouragement;  but  hee  was 
forced  still  to  disguise  these  Histories  with  a  Sort  of  Air  that 
could  not  so  well  have  been  given  them,  upon  any  other  Occa- 
sion. 


280         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

§  24.  The  Thing  still  prest  upon  her,  was  to  Sign,  or  to 
Touch  Their  Book ;  and  about  that  Book,  wee  now  had  several 
Odd  Entertainments,  beyond  what  we  had  before.  Shee  said 
They  have  had  Three  Books,  whereof  the  Third  was  newly 
begun ;  and  This  was  the  Book  which  they  now  offered  her  in 
her  Temptacions;  tho'  they  sometimes  also  show'd  her  the 
Second,  which  it  seems  wanted  but  a  Leaf  or  two,  to  bee  fill'd 
in  her  former  Visitacion.  While  shee  lay  in  her  Extatic  Cir- 
cumstances, Two  or  Three  of  us  diverse  Times  Heard  her  to 
Read  in  one  or  t'other  of  these  Books,  upon  her  demanding  of 
it,  as  proper  for  her  to  See  the  Books,  before  they  could  imagine 
it  Reasonable  for  her  to  sett  her  hand  unto  any  of  them.  What 
she  read,  I  do  for  some  just  causes,  forbear  fully  to  relate;  but, 
in  general,  the  Book  seem'd  a  Journal  of  the  cheef  things  acted 
or  design'd  at  Their  great  Witch-meetings;  not  without  some 
circumstances  that  carried  an  odd  Resemblence  of  the  Alcoran ; 
it  had  in  it  the  Methods  to  bee  used  in  seducing  of  people  unto 
the  service  of  the  Divel,  and  the  Names  of  them  that  had  been 
seduced,  with  the  Terms  which  they  were  to  serve.  It  par- 
ticularly surprised  some  in  the  Room,  on  the  Eve  of  March  9, 
1693,  to  overhear  her,  in  the  Book  then  opened  unto  her, 
spelling  a  Word  that  was  too  hard  for  her;  but  from  the 
best  Judgment  that  could  bee  made  of  the  Letters  that  shee 
recited,  it  was  Quadragesima.  And  several  more  such  odd 
Things  were  overheard:  whereof  One  was  a  Discourse  to  bee 
used  by  Witchmakers  unto  their  Proselytes,  of  this  purport, 
That  when  Paul  and  Silas  were  in  prison,  they  sang;  but  it 
was  unto  the  Divel  that  they  sang;  an  Earthquake  then  came, 
and  the  Prison-doors  were  opened.  But  it  was  the  Divel  that 
made  that  Earthquake  and  opened  those  prison-doors.  Ac- 
cordingly, if  the  Servants  of  the  Divel  should  come  at  any  time 
to  bee  clap'd  up  in  Goal  they  might  Expect  a  like  Deliverance. 
Horrible  stuff!  But  I'l  tell  no  more.  Shee  one  Day  sent  a 
Request  unto  His  Excellency,  the  Governer,1  and  unto  a 
Minister  in  the  Neighbourhood,2  that  shee  might  Receive  a 
Visit  from  them;  in  which  Visit,  shee  inform 'd  them,  That  the 
Spectres  had  newly  confessed  unto  her,  that  they  had  been 
compelled,  a  Day  or  two  before,  to  Drop  Their  Second  Book, 
in  the  Cockloft  of  a  Garret  belonging  to  the  House  of  a  person 

1  Sir  William  Phips.  *  Mather,  of  course. 


1693]     C.  MATHER,  BRAND  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING       281 

of  Quality,  not  far  off.  But  Their  Difficulty  to  Beleave,  that 
there  was  any  Corporeal  (or  any  more  than  a  Mystical)  Book 
in  the  Business,  caused  them  to  bee  Negligent  in  the  Search 
of  it;  however,  They  did  after  some  Dayes,  upon  mature  con- 
sideration, permitt  a  Discreet  Servant  privately  to  go  see 
whether  there  were  any  Thing  in  that  place  or  no.  When  the 
Servant  was  Examining  the  place  directed,  a  great  Black  Cat, 
never  before  known  to  bee  in  the  House,  jumping  over  him, 
threw  him  into  such  a  Fright  and  Sweat,  that  altho'  hee  were 
one  otherwise  of  Courage  enough,  hee  desisted  at  that  Time 
from  looking  any  further.  Mercy  Short  presently  after  sent 
for  the  Minister,  and  expressed  an  extreme  Discontent  and 
Vexation  for  his  minding  so  little,  what  Informacion  shee  had 
given  about  the  Book;  adding  (tho'  her  Attendents  affirm'd 
shee  had  never  been  told  a  Word  of  What  had  happened) 
That  the  Spectres  had  pray'd  and  beg'd  of  their  Black-man  so 
hard,  that  their  Book  might  not  yett  come  to  light,  hee  had 
at  length  permitted  one  of  them,  to  putt  on  the  Shape  of  a 
Cat  and  fetch  the  Book  away;  which  was  done  (shee  said) 
just  as  the  Servant  had  almost  laid  his  hand  upon  it;  but  that 
hee  had  been  so  scared  by  the  Cat  as  to  give  over  the  Search. 
However  shee  beleeved  They  must  shortly  Drop  it  again. 
For  my  own  part,  I  look'd  upon  these  Things  as  having  much 
of  Diabolical  Delusion  in  them;  and  as  intended  partly  to 
make  Diversion  for  Divels  that  love  to  play  upon  mankind. 
Whether  the  Cat  were  what  was  pretended,  I  shall  give  no 
Opinion :  tho'  I  know  the  Assertion  of  some,  That  every  Spirit 
is  endued  with  an  Innate  Power  by  which  it  can  attract  suit- 
able matter  out  of  all  Things  for  a  Covering  or  Body,  of  a 
proportionable  Form  and  Nature  to  itself:  which  Assertion, 
Well  stated,  Proved,  and  Applyed,  would  solve  some  of  the 
hardest  Phenomena  that  belong  to  the  uncouth  and  horrid 
Shapes,  wherein  mischiefs  are  done  by  Witchcraft. 

§  25.  But  there  were  some  strange  Occurrence  about  another 
Book,  which,  whether  there  lay  any  thing  in  the  bottom  of 
them,  further  than  a  Trick  of  the  Divels,  to  decoy  us  into  some 
Inconveniences,  wee  could  not  Conclude,  but  thought  it  not 
amiss  to  Beware.  One  who  was  Executed  at  Salem  for  Witch- 
craft had  confessed  That  at  their  Cheef  Witch-meetings,  there 
had  been  present  some  French  Canadians,  and  some  Indian 


282         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

Sagamores,  to  concert  the  methods  of  ruining  New  England. 
Now  tho'  Mercy  Short  had  never  heard,  as  far  as  I  have  learn 't, 
of  any  such  Confession,  yett  the  Spectres  now,  as  it  were  clap- 
ping a  Chain  upon  her,  would  leave  her  sometimes  in  a  Stupid, 
Sottish,  Senseless  Condicion,  for  many  Hours  together:  out 
of  which  Condition  when  shee  came,  shee  told  us,  That  at  such 
Times  the  Spectres  went  away  to  Their  Witch-meetings;  but 
that  when  They  Returned,  the  whole  Crew,  besides  her  daily 
Troublers,  look'd  in  upon  her,  to  see  how  the  work  was  carried 
on;  That  there  were  French  Canadiens  and  Indian  Sagamores 
among  them,  diverse  of  whom  shee  knew,  and  particularly 
Nam'd  em :  And,  that  They  show'd  her  a  Book,  out  of  which, 
they  said,  they  took  their  Directions  for  the  Devotions  per- 
form'd  at  their  Meetings;  and  they  added,  That  they  did  use 
to  fetch  that  Book  from  the  Study  of  a  certain  Person  in  the 
Neighbourhood;1  Yea,  that  -they  had,  unbeknown  to  him, 
gott  the  Book  away  to  their  conventions  more  than  an  hun- 
dred times;  moreover  to  confirm  her  in  the  Beleef  of  what 
They  said,  they  folded  a  Leaf  of  it,  before  her  eyes.  These 
Things  did  shee  tell  us,  and  shee  described  unto  us  the  Colour, 
the  Breadth,  and  Length,  and  Thickness,  and  other  Circum- 
stances of  the  Book,  with  all  the  Exactness  Imaginable:  say- 
ing also,  That  there  were  Psalms  in  it.  Accordingly  the  per- 
son mentioned,  tho'  Hee  were  owner  of  a  Library  furnished 
with  Books  of  all  sorts,  yett  quickly  found  in  it,  the  Book  with 
which  these  Theevish  Divels  had  made  so  bold;  and  Mercy, 
having  it  shown  unto  her,  immediately  knew  it  from  any  other. 
It  was  a  Book  that  indeed  came  from  Canada;  a  French  Book 
of  Idolatrous  Devotions,  entituled,  Les  Saints  Devoirs  de  UAme 
Devote.  Avec  L'Office  de  La  Vierge,  pour  tons  Les  Temps  De 
UAnnee:  Et  UOffice  Des  Marts,  de  La  Croix,  et  Autres;  re- 
formez  au  Saint  Concile  de  Trente.z  But  that  which  added 
unto  the  surprise  was,  That  hee  found  a  Leaf  doubled  down  in 
the  Book,  which  hee  could  not  conceive  how  it  should  come : 
and  when  a  Night  or  Two  after,  just  as  hee  went  unto  his 
Rest,  hee  left  this  Book  on  his  Table  in  his  Study,  carefully 

1  Mather's  own. 

*  An  ordinary  book  of  Catholic  devotion :  "The  Holy  Duties  of  the  Devout 
Soul.  With  the  Devotions  due  the  Virgin  throughout  the  Year:  and  the  Office 
of  the  Dead,  of  the  Cross,  and  others;  reformed  at  the  Holy  Council  of  Trent." 


1693]     C.  MATHER,  BRAND  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING       283 

seeing  that  there  should  not  bee  one  Leaf  at  all  folded  in  it; 
yett  the  next  morning  hee  found  Three  Leaves  unaccountably 
Folded,  and  then  Visiting  Mercy,  hee  perceived  the  Spectres 
bragging,  That  tho'  shee  had  [said]  shee  would  warrant  them, 
that  Gentleman  would  keep  his  Book  out  of  their  Hands,  yett 
they  had  Last  Night  stole  the  Book  again  unto  one  of  their 
meetings,  and  folded  sundry  Leaves  in  it.  They  also  told  her 
afterwards,  That  the  said  person  had  another  Book  standing 
by  this,  with  a  Gray  Cover,  a  Little  Bigger  than  This,  but 
much  akin  to  it,  and  having  many  pictures  in  it;  which  Book 
they  sometimes  Likewise  used  at  their  meetings;  and  that 
they  had  newly  used  it,  but  returning  it  they  had  sett  it  up  the 
Backside  outwards.  Now  to  increase  our  surprize,  tho'  what 
they  said  about  using  the  Book  abroad  might  bee  all  a  Ly, 
yett  all  the  rest  was  very  True,  The  Title  of  the  Book  was 
U  Office  de  La  Semaine  Sainte,  et  de  L 'Octave  de  Pasque,  a  L'usage 
de  Rome,  et  du  Diocese  de  Paris.1  These  Things  very  Naturally 
Raised  in  mee,  a  Contemplacion  of  the  proper  Enchantments 
whereby  Popery  was  at  first  Begun,  and  has  been  Maintain'd; 
and  of  the  Confusion  with  which  the  Divels  may  probably  bee 
cast,  from  an  Apprehension  of  the  Total  Dissolution  that  is 
quickly  to  bee  given  unto  all  the  Charms,  which  have  hitherto 
Intoxicated  the  Nations  in  that  Superstition.  But  if  I  should 
so  far  forget  myself,  as  to  Lay  before  my  Readers,  the  several 
Reflections  which  I  found  myself  invited  still  to  make  on  these 
Occasions,  I  should  perform  a  Work,  which  for  a  thousand 
Reasons  I  choose  rather  to  Reserve. 

§  26.  Whether  I  ask  my  Readers  to  do  it,  or  no,  I  know 
they  will  variously  spend  their  Judgments  upon  one  of  the 
strangest  Things  that  has  occured  in  our  Story,  now  to  bee 
Related.  Mercy  Short  was  attended  with  another  Spirit,  be- 
sides those  which  were  her  continual  Tormentors;  a  Spirit, 
which  indeed  never  was  Visible  nor,  I  think,  properly  Audible, 
any  further  than  in  Whisper,  unto  her;  but  which  managed  his 
Communion  with  her  cheefly  by  an  Impulse,  most  powerfully 
and  sensibly  making  Impressions  upon  her  Mind.  This 
Wonderful  Spirit  would  suggest  unto  her,  How  to  Answer  the 
Temptacions  of  the  Diabolical  Spectres,  and  comfort  her  with 
Assurances  that  shee  should  at  last  bee  Victorious  over  Them. 

1  This  too  is  but  a  Catholic  book  of  devotion — the  offices  of  Holy  Week. 


284         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

T'was  by  the  Guidance  of  this  Spirit  that  shee  would  some- 
times take  a  Bible  into  her  Hands,  and  without  even  casting 
an  Eye  so  much  as  once  upon  it,  after  Turning  over  Scores  of 
Leaves,  Turn  down  a  Leaf  at  last,  unto  the  most  pertinent 
Place  that  could  bee  thought  of,  and  from  thence  Argue 
against  the  Wretches  that  molested  her. 

For  Instance,  Once  when  They  were  urging  her  to  write 
her  Name  in  Their  Book,  shee  did  in  that  unaccountable 
Manner  Turn  to  Rev.  13.  8.  All  that  dwell  upon  Earth  shall 
worship  him,  whose  Names  are  not  written  in  the  Book  of  Life  of 
the  Lamb :  and  tho'  shee  saw  not  the  Text  herself,  yett  Folding 
down  a  Leaf  unto  it,  shee  held  it  up  unto  the  Spectres,  for  Them 
to  Read  it;  adding  withal,  That  her  Name  was  already  in  that 
Book  of  the  Lamb,  and  therefore  it  should  never  come  into 
Their  cursed  Book !  To  which  They  Reply'd,  Shee  had  shown 
them  a  Scripture  which  one  (they  named)1  had  never  yett 
preached  upon :  and  in  That,  they  spoke  True.  Another  Time 
shee  did  in  that  marvellous  Manner,  Folding  a  Leaf,  without 
any  Looking,  show  the  Spectres  that  Place  in  Luc.  7.  21.  And 
in  that  same  Hour,  Hee  cured  many  of  their  Infirmities,  and 
plagues  and  of  Evil  Spirits.  Thus  also,  After  They  had  been 
trying  to  perswade  her,  that  there  would  bee  no  Day  of  Judg- 
ment, shee  did  in  the  same  astonishing  manner  show  them  that 
place  in  Act.  1.  11.  This  same  Jesus  Which  is  taken  up  from 
you  into  Heaven,  shall  so  come,  in  Like  Manner,  as  yee  have  seen 
Him  go  into  Heaven.  Well,  When  the  young  Woman  had  lain 
under  her  miseries  about  Three  Weeks,  this  Notable  Spirit, 
in  the  Beginning  of  the  Fourth  Week,  bid  her,  Bee  of  Good 
Cheer  and  Hold  her  Integrity  against  all  the  Rage  of  the  Divel 
and  his  Witches,  for  the  Next  Thursday  in  the  Evening  about 
Nine  or  Ten  a  clock,  shee  should  bee  gloriously  delivered, 
And  accordingly,  some  Dayes  a  forehand,  shee  desired  that  I 
would,  with  my  Brother,  bee  There  at  the  Time.  I  suppose 
many  of  my  Readers  will  bee  at  as  much  Loss  to  Determine, 
what  sort  of  Spirit  this  is,  as  the  New-foundlanders  are,  what 
to  think  of  that  spirit  by  them  called  White-Hat!  who  ordi- 
narily appears  on  the  Shore,  in  a  White-hat,  crying  out,  Hale 
up !  Hale  up !  a  little  before  some  dangerous  Tempest. 

§  27.  The  people  of  God  in  the  Neighbourhood  still  kept 

1  Of  course  again  Mather. 


1693]     C.  MATHER,   BRAND  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING       285 

themselves  close  unto  the  unexceptionable  way  of  Continual 
and  Importunate  Prayer,  for  the  Deliverance  of  the  Afflicted 
Maid.  For  my  part,  I  did  all  I  could,  that  not  so  much  as 
the  Name  of  any  one  good  person  in  the  World  might  suffer 
the  least  Ill-Report  on  this  occasion;  but  unwearied  Prayer, 
wee  thought,  was  our  only  Way  now  to  Resist  the  Divel. 
Accordingly,  the  Pious  People  in  the  North-part  of  Boston, 
did  very  much  Pray  With  the  young  Woman  as  well  as  For  her. 
There  are,  in  that  vicinage,  several  meetings  of  Young  Folks 
(both  sexes  apart)  who  every  week  meet,  that  they  may  Pray 
with  one  another;  and  These  now  Adjourned  their  meetings, 
at  the  Seasons  of  them,  unto  the  Haunted  Chamber.  Yea, 
There  was,  I  think,  scarce  a  Night  for  near  a  Month  together, 
which  was  not  All  spent  in  the  Exercise  of  Devotion,  by  those 
that  Watched.  Indeed,  in  this  New  Molestacion  of  Mercy 
Short,  the  Good  people  kept  not  any  Whole  Dayes  for  Prayer 
with  Fasting  on  her  behalf,  as  they  did  before,  yett  I  have 
understood  that  shee  had  a  Friend  or  Two,  who  did  so;  but 
behold,  the  Lord  must  bee  again  Besought  Thrice !  The  First 
and  the  Second  of  the  Dayes  thus  kept  had  not  their  full 
Answer;  the  Third  was  no  sooner  kept,  but  the  Answer  came; 
whereof  You  are  now  to  bee  Informed. 

§  28.  The  Young  Woman  on  the  Thursday  Evening  which 
had  been  by  her  mentioned  (namely  March  16,  1693)  lay  very 
free  from  her  usual  Torments.  Wee  perceived  from  her,  That 
the  Spectres  Try'd  all  the  Evening  long  to  inflict  their  Tortures 
upon  her,  but  still  They  found  her  so  Hedged  by  some  unseen 
Defence,  that  they  were  unable  to  Touch  her;  and  the  Black 
Man  would  thereupon  Kick  Them,  Cuff  Them,  and  Maul  Them, 
for  Their  so  failing  in  all  Their  Attempts  to  wound  her.  Where- 
upon with  a  sort  of  Bravery  shee  Insulted  over  Them ;  and  at 
last,  when  the  Hour  came,  Shee  said  in  a  way  of  Derision, 
"Well,  I  see  you  are  going;  What  good  counsil  have  you  to 
give  mee,  before  you  go?  "  They  then  spoke,  I  know  not  what 
pestiferous  Things  unto  her;  but,  giving  them  an  Angry  In- 
terruption, Shee  bid  them  Hear  Her  counsil  to  Them.  So, 
Telling  the  Black  Man  that  shee  had  nothing  to  say  unto  him, 
for  his  Condition  was  beyond  Repentance  and  Forgiveness, 
unto  the  rest  shee  gave  such  savoury  Admonitions,  about  en- 
deavouring their  own  Recovery  out  of  the  Snare  of  the  Divel, 


286         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

as  might  have  broke  an  Heart  of  Stone  to  have  heard  Them. 
They  at  last  bid  her  leave  off,  and  now,  Take  their  Blessing; 
which  it  seems  was  of  this  Tenour,  "Go  and  bee  Damned,  Wee 
can  do  no  more!"  Whereunto  Shee  Reply'd,  "0  yee  cursed 
Wretches;  Is  that  Your  Blessing?  Well  After  all  the  wrong 
that  you  have  done  to  mee,  I  do  not  wish  that  any  one  of  you 
may  bee  Damned;  I  wish  you  may  bee  all  saved,  if  that  bee 
possible.  However,  In  the  Name  of  the  Blessed  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  bee  gone,  and  lett  mee  bee  no  more  Troubled  with 
you."  Upon  That,  they  flew  away  Immediately,  Striking  an- 
other young  Woman  down  for  Dead  upon  the  Floor  as  they 
went  along;  and  so,  with  a  Raised  Soul,  shee  bore  a  Part  with 
us,  in  Giving  Thanks  to  God  for  her  Deliverance;  Nor  have 
her  Troublers  ever  since  troubled  her  with  any  further  Visits. 
Upon  her  first  Rescue  from  these  evil  Hands,  altho'  her  Eyes 
were  seemingly  Fair,  yett  the  poisons  they  had  used  upon 
them  were  such,  that  shee  was  as  blind  as  one  that  had  been 
struck  with  Lightning;  but  in  a  few  Dayes  her  sight  Re- 
turned. They  also  left  her  under  a  very  111  Habit  of  Body, 
whereof  shee  could  not  bee  cured  without  some  Time  and  Care ; 
but  in  That  also  shee  experienced  much  of  the  Divine  Good- 
ness. Nor  am  I  without  Hope,  that  God  will  enable  her  to 
walk  answerable  to  the  great  obligations,  which  Hee  has  thus 
laid  upon  her,  by  bringing  her  up  out  of  an  Horrible  Pitt! 

§  29.  My  Reader  must  excuse  mee,  that  I  so  much  Forbear 
to  give  my  Opinion  about  the  true  Nature  and  Meaning  of 
these  preternatural  occurrences.  If  God,  the  Father  of  Lights, 
graciously  should  grant  unto  any  of  His  poor  Servants  (as  I 
beleeve  to  some  Hee  hath!)  a  System  of  Consistent  Thoughts 
about  such  Works  of  Darkness,  yett  such  is  the  froward,  flout- 
ing sidred,1  and  proud  Humour,  whereunto  the  people  are 
now  Enchanted,  no  man  in  his  Wits  would  fully  expose  his 
Thoughts  unto  them,  till  the  charms  which  enrage  the  people 
are  a  little  better  Dissipated.  I  remember  an  Odd  Relation, 
in  the  German  Ephemerides,  for2  .  .  . 

1  Cidered,  i.  e.,  soured. 

*  Here,  with  the  end  of  its  thirty-eighth  page,  the  manuscript  breaks  abruptly 
off.  The  "Ephemerides"  at  the  close  means  the  Miscellanea  Curioaa,  or  Epheme- 
rides  Medico-physicae,  which  since  1670  had  been  published  yearly  in  Germany. 

The  best  postscript  for  this  narrative  is  that  inserted  by  Mather  himself 


1693]     C.  MATHER,  BRAND  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING       28? 

into  his  diary  for  1693,  after  the  entry  for  February  12 :  "About  this  Time,  I  had 
many  wonderful  Entertainments,  from  the  Invisible  World,  in  the  Circumstances 
of  a  Young  Woman,  horribly  possessed  with  Divels.  The  Damsel  was  cast  into 
my  cares,  by  the  singular  Providence  of  God;  and  accordingly  besides  my  Cares 
to  releeve  her,  to  advise  her,  to  observe  the  prodigious  things  that  befel  her 
(whereof  I  have  written  a  Narrative)  I  procured  some  of  my  devout  Neighbours, 
to  join  with  mee  in  praying  for  her.  Wee  kept  Three  Successive  Dayes  of  Prayer 
with  Fasting  on  her  behalf,  and  then  wee  saw  her  Delivered;  for  which,  wee  kept 
a  Time  of  solemn  Thanksgiving.  But  after  a  while,  her  Tormentors  returned, 
and  her  Miseries  renewed;  and  my  Neighbours  being  now  either  too  weary  or 
too  busy,  to  do  as  afore,  tho'  they  made  much  Prayer  daily  with  her  as  well  as 
for  her,  I  did  alone  in  my  Study  fast  and  pray  for  her  Deliverance.  And,  unto 
my  Amazement,  when  I  had  kept  my  third  Day  for  her,  shee  was  finally  and  for- 
ever delivered  from  the  hands  of  evil  Angels;  and  I  had  afterwards  the  Satis- 
faction of  seeing  not  only  her  so  brought  home  unto  the  Lord,  that  shee  was  ad- 
mitted unto  our  Church,  but  also  many  other,  even  some  scores,  of  young  People, 
awakened  by  the  Picture  of  Hell,  exhibited  in  her  Sufferings,  to  flee  from  the 
Wrath  to  come." 

It  was  perhaps  more  nearly  at  the  time  that,  to  the  entry  of  March  28 
recording  the  birth  of  his  malformed  and  short-lived  babe,  he  added:  "I  had 
great  Reason  to  suspect  a  Witchcraft,  in  this  preternatural  Accident;  because 
my  Wife,  a  few  weeks  before  her  Deliverance,  was  affrighted  with  an  horrible 
Spectre,  in  our  Porch,  which  Fright  caused  her  Bowels  to  turn  within  her;  and 
the  Spectres  which,  both  before  and  after,  tormented  a  young  Woman  in  our 
Neighbourhood,  brag'd  of  their  giving  my  Wife  that  Fright,  in  hopes,  they  said, 
of  doing  Mischief  unto  her  Infant  at  least,  if  not  unto  the  Mother :  and  besides 
all  this,  the  Child  was  no  sooner  born,  but  a  suspected  Woman  sent  unto  my 
Father,  a  Letter  full  of  railing  against  myself,  wherein  shee  told  him,  Hee  little 
knew,  what  might  quickly  befall  some  of  his  Posterity." 

From  this  passage  it  is  clear  that  Mercy  Short  was  not  at  the  end  of  her 
besetments;  and  one  should  not  turn  from  her  story,  or  from  that  of  Margaret 
Rule,  next  to  be  told,  without  reading  (at  p.  384,  below)  what  in  1697  a  contem- 
porary writes  of  "their  vicious  courses  since." 


FROM  "MORE  WONDERS  OF  THE  INVISIBLE 
WORLD,"   BY  ROBERT  CALEF,  1700 


INTRODUCTION 

OF  Robert  Calef  almost  nothing  is  known  except  what 
can  be  learned  from  his  book.  There  has  even  been  doubt 
as  to  whether,  of  the  two  Robert  Calefs  known  to  us  in  Boston 
at  this  time,  the  writer  was  the  father  or  the  son.  In  1692, 
the  time  of  the  Salem  witchcraft,  the  father's  age  was  44,  the 
son's  18.1  It  is  unlikely  that  anybody  would  have  thought  of 
the  son  but  for  a  note  copied  into  one  of  the  memorandum- 
books  of  Dr.  Jeremy  Belknap  (1744-1798)  .2  This  note,  of 
unknown  source,  reads:  "Robert  Calef,  author  of  'More 
Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World,'  printed  at  London  in  1700, 
was  a  native  of  England;  a  young  man  of  good  sense,  and  free 
from  superstition;  a  merchant  in  Boston.  He  was  furnished 
with  materials  for  his  work  by  Mr.  Brattle,  of  Cambridge; 
and  his  brother,  of  Boston;  and  other  gentlemen,  who  were 
opposed  to  the  Salem  proceedings. — E.  P."  The  writer  speaks 
as  if  with  knowledge;  and  that  so  sound  a  historian  as  Dr. 
Belknap  should  have  copied  the  note  speaks  for  its  worth.  • 
Able  scholars  have  by  it  been  led  to  ascribe  the  book  to  the 
younger  Robert;  but  more  careful  study  seems  to  show  the 
objections  insuperable.  The  author  never  adds  "Jr."  to  his 
name,  as  a  son  would  have  done,  and  as  seems  to  have  been 
the  younger  Robert's  custom.3  He  never  pleads  youth,  even 

1  S.  G.  Drake,  in  the  introduction  to  his  edition  of  Calef,  would  make  his 
age  14;   but  the  genealogist  of  the  family,  Mr.  Matthew  A.  Stickney,  says  18. 
Yet  Mr.  Stickney  urges  the  father's  authorship  (N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen.  Register, 
XXX.  461;  XLIX.  224).     He  died  in  1894,  leaving  this  genealogy,  alas,  unpub- 
lished, and  his  heirs  decline  to  let  it  be  consulted. 

2  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.,  Proceedings,  1858,  p.  288. 

3  Thus  in  1706  "Robt.  Calef,  Jun.,"  was  chosen  a  clerk  of  the  market 
(Boston  Record  Commissioners'  Reports,  VIII.  36);  thus  in  1708  "Robert  Calef, 

291 


292         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

when  most  apologetic;  and,  what  weighs  more,  his  indignant 
foes,  seeking  all  ways  to  discredit  him,  never  hint  at  such  a 
thing.  His  matter  and  style  have  in  them  nothing  of  boyish- 
ness; and  once,  in  words  suggestive  of  a  migrant  and  a  man 
of  years,  he  speaks  (p.  297,  below)  of  "sound  Reason,  which  is 
what  I  have  been  long  seeking  for  in  this  Country  in  vain." 
Most  serious  of  all,  his  handwriting  seems  that  found  in  docu- 
ments clearly  the  elder  Calef 's,  and  is  that  of  a  mature  and  even 
by  1700  that  of  an  aging  man;  while  that  of  the  younger  Robert 
was  in  1719-1722  still  firm  and  flexible — and  notably  different.1 
Robert  Calef  the  elder  came  to  America  at  some  time  before 
1688.  He  was  a  cloth-merchant,  and  doubtless  a  maker  as 

junr."  becomes  a  constable  (id.,  VTII.  45),  and  gains  permission  to  erect  a 
house  (id.,  XI.  68,  XXIX.  187);  thus,  too,  in  that  year  (see  plate)  he  signs 
himself  "Ro.  Calfe  Jnr";  thus  in  1710  "Robert  Calfe,  Jr.,"  appears  on  the 
rolls  of  the  Artillery  Company  (N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen.  Register,  XXXVIII.  341); 
and  it  is  after  his  father's  death  that  (see  plate)  in  1719  to  a  receipted  account, 
in  1721  to  his  will,  in  1722  to  the  release  of  a  mortgage,  he  signed  "Rob: 
Calfe",  "Ro:  Calfe",  "Robert  Calfe"  (see  the  last  two  in  Drake's  Witchcraft 
Delusion,  II.  xxii,  xxiv). 

1  From  the  author  of  More  Wonders  we  have  two  unquestionable  auto- 
graphs :  (1)  his  marginalia  of  1695  on  Cotton  Mather's  paper  (see  below,  p.  306, 
note  1)  and  (2)  a  letter  of  1700  presenting  a  copy  of  his  book  to  the  Earl  of 
Bellomont,  then  governor  of  Massachusetts  and  New  York.  A  page  of  the 
former  is  to  be  photographed  in  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society's  Proceed- 
ings for  1913-1914;  and  the  latter  (now  in  the  New  York  Public  Library)  is  re- 
produced in  full  in  the  Memorial  History  of  Boston  (II.  168).  Specimens  of  both 
are  given  in  our  own  plate;  and  to  these  are  added  (1)  the  signature  "Robert 
Calef"  from  the  report  of  two  appraisers,  October  30,  1693;  (2)  the  signature 
"Robt.  Calef"  from  the  verdict  of  a  Boston  coroner's  jury,  January  15,  1696;  (3) 
the  same  signature,  with  a  line  or  two  of  text  in  the  same  hand,  from  the  decision 
of  two  arbitrators  (Boston,  July  29, 1697) ;  and  (4)  the  last  lines  and  the  signa- 
ture of  a  paper  drawn  by  "Robt.  Calef"  as  a  selectman  of  Roxbury  in  March, 
1717  (?).  That  all  six  specimens  are  in  the  same  hand,  and  in  a  hand  differ- 
ent from  the  younger  Calef's,  will  hardly  be  questioned.  Is  not  the  older 
Robert,  too,  more  likely  than  the  younger  to  have  been  an  appraiser  in  1693,  a 
coroner's  juror  in  1696,  and  an  arbiter  in  1697?  And  (though  Calef  and  Calfe 
were  undoubtedly  pronounced  alike  or  nearly  so)  is  it  not  less  probable  that  the 
author  of  More  Wonders  changed  the  habitual  spelling  of  his  signature  than  that 
a  younger  Robert,  if  not  the  author,  should  thus  have  distinguished  his  identity 
from  his  father's?  What  arguments  led  the  genealogist  Stickney  to  ascribe  the 
book  to  the  father  cannot  now  be  learned:  the  "full  statement  of  the  reasons" 


2. 


_     ^/$^/>^?^^~  /fo*/i*£-&*<ft~^fi*&<™t- 
'^j/Jf^rvfr^r^t-'  ggt&e-get&A* 


3. 


5". 


'. 


AUTOGRAPHS  OF  ROBERT  CALEF  AND  OF  HIS  SON  ROBERT 

From  various  originals 


INTRODUCTION  293 

well  as  a  seller  of  cloths.1  Of  his  eight  children  the  eldest  was, 
in  1692,  a  physician  in  Ipswich.  What  led  to  the  writing  of  More 
Wonders  he  has  himself  told  us  in  his  book.  It  remains  only 
to  testify  to  the  care  and  exactness  which  all  comparison  of 
his  work  with  the  records  seems  to  show,  and  to  remark  that 
to  a  student  of  the  literature  of  witchcraft  it  is  evident  that 
his  reading  is  larger  than  he  cares  to  parade.  Though  he 
clearly  belonged  to  the  popular  party,  this  is  as  likely  to  be  a 
result  as  a  cause — it  is  probably  neither — of  his  feeling  on  the 
subject  of  the  witch  superstition;  and  that  he  had  else  any 
grievance  against  the  Mathers  or  their  colleagues  there  is  no 
reason  to  think. 

His  book,  though  completed  in  1697,  was  not  printed  till 
1700,  and  then  in  London.  In  June,  1698,  Cotton  Mather 
records  in  his  diary  that  "a  sort  of  a  Sadducee  in  this  town" 
"hath  written  a  Volumn  of  invented  and  notorious  lies " ;  " this 
Volumn,"  he  adds,  "hee  is,  as  I  understand,  sending  to  En- 
gland, that  it  may  bee  printed  there."  Why  it  found  no  printer 
in  New  England  can  be  guessed;  the  storm  it  raised  when  it 
appeared  in  print  is  well  known.  President  Increase  Mather 
"ordered  the  wicked  book  to  be  burnt  in  the  college  yard,"  2 
and  his  son's  diary  is  eloquent  with  vexation. 

"Some  Years  ago,"  runs  his  entry  of  November  15,  1700, 
"a  very  wicked  sort  of  a  Sadducee  in  this  Town,  raking  to- 
gether a  crue  of  Libels,  which  he  had  written  at  several  Times, 

promised  by  him  to  the  N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen.  Register  (see  XXX.  461)  was,  like 
his  genealogy,  never  published.  But,  from  an  article  on  "Robert  Calef"  by 
Mr.  W.  S.  Harris  in  the  Granite  Monthly  for  1907  (XXXIX.  157-163),  and  from 
correspondence  with  its  author,  it  is  learned  that  another  student  of  the  Calef 
pedigree  (Mr.  W.  W.  Lunt,  of  Hingham,  Mass.)  has  reached  that  result  by  a 
comparison  of  handwritings.  Mr.  Harris,  it  should  be  added,  quotes  the  Rev. 
John  Kelly  as  saying  in  a  funeral  sermon  (1808)  for  Judge  John  Calfe  (b.  1740) 
of  Hampstead,  N.  H.,  that  the  latter's  ancestor  (who  was  the  elder  Calef,  not 
the  younger)  was  the  author  of  the  book. 

1  In  1701  Cotton  Mather  calls  him  "the  Weaver  (though  he  presumes  to 
call  himself  Merchant) "  (Some  Few  Remarks,  p.  35). 

2 Eliot,  Biographical  Dictionary  (1809),  s.  v.  "Calef." 


294         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

(especially  relating  to  the  Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World,  which 
have  been  among  us)  wherein  I  am  the  cheef  Butt  of  his  Mal- 
ice, (tho'  many  other  better  Servants  of  the  Lord  are  also  most 
maliciously  abused  by  him :)  he  sent  this  vile  Volume  to  Lon- 
don to  be  published.  Now,  tho'  I  had  often  and  often  cried 
unto  the  Lord,  that  the  Cup  of  this  Man's  abominable  Bundle 
of  Lies,  written  on  purpose,  with  a  Quil  under  a  special  Energy 
and  Management  of  Satan,  to  damnify  my  precious  Oppor- 
tunities of  Glorifying  my  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  might  pass  from 
me;  Yett,  in  this  point,  the  Lord  has  denied  my  Request:  the 
Book  is  printed,  and  the  Impression  is  this  week  arrived  here." 

It  was  even  felt  necessary  to  print  a  reply;  but  the  two 
Mathers  held  it  beneath  them  to  plead  in  their  own  vindication. 
It  fell  to  their  parishioners.  "My  pious  neighbours  are  so 
provoked,"  writes  Cotton  Mather  (December  4),  "at  the  dia- 
bolical Wickedness  of  the  Man  who  has  published  a  Volume  of 
Libels  against  my  Father  and  myself,  that  they  sett  apart 
whole  Dayes  of  Prayer,  to  complain  unto  God  against  him." 
The  outcome  of  their  communings  together  was  a  pamphlet 
called  Some  Few  Remarks  upon  a  Scandalous  Book  against  the 
Gospel  and  Ministry  of  New  England,  written  by  one  Robert 
Calef.  It  was  signed  by  seven,  one  of  them  John  Goodwin; 
but  the  materials  were  furnished  by  their  pastors.  It  aimed 
however  at  their  personal  exculpation,  and  has  small  interest 
for  the  public  story.1 

The  doughty  merchant  survived  the  storm.  In  1702-1704 
he  served  his  townsmen  as  an  overseer  of  the  poor,  in  1707 

1  Let  any  who  would  know  the  contents  of  the  excessively  rare  little  booklet 
turn  to  the  works  of  Upham  and  Poole  mentioned  on  p.  91;  and  in  his  Diary 
(I.  383-384)  Mather  narrates  how  the  book  was  compiled.  The  More  Wonders 
it  describes  as  "a  Libellous  Book  lately  come  into  this  Countrey  .  .  .  which  is 
writ  (with  what  help  we  know  not)  by  one  Robert  Calef,  who  presumes  to  call 
himself  Merchant  of  Boston."  "It  was  highly  rejoicing  to  us,"  add  the  writers, 
"when  we  heard  that  our  Booksellers  were  so  well  acquainted  with  the  Integrity 
of  our  Pastors,  as  that  not  one  of  them  could  admit  of  any  of  those  Libels  to  be 
vended  in  their  shops."  Pp.  34-50  of  its  seventy-one  pages  are  taken  up  by  a 
letter  of  Cotton  Mather  to  the  authors.  It  was  perhaps  a  passage  in  Mather's 


INTRODUCTION  295 

was  chosen  an  assessor,  in  1710  a  tithingman.  It  was  perhaps 
about  this  time  that  he  retired  to  Roxbury,  where  in  1707  he 
had  bought  a  place  and  where  he  was  a  selectman  of  the  town 
when,  in  1719,  death  found  him.  There,  in  the  old  burial 
ground  just  opposite  his  home,  a  stone  still  testifies  that  "Here 
lyes  buried  the  body  of  Mr.  Robert  Calef,  aged  seventy-one 
years,  died  April  the  Thirteenth,  1719."  l 

Calef 's  book  has  been  five  times  reprinted:  in  1796,  at 
Salem,  by  William  Carlton  (12°,  pp.  318) ;  again  at  Salem,  in 
1823,  a  mere  reimpression,  with  the  addition,  from  the  court 
files,  of  Giles  Corey's  examination  (12°,  pp.  312);  in  Boston, 
1828  (24°,  pp.  333),  again  a  reimpression;  at  Salem,  1861, 
edited  by  Mr.  S.  P.  Fowler,  with  Cotton  Mather's  Wonders, 
in  his  volume  Salem  Witchcraft  (see  p.  207) ;  and,  more  faith- 
fully, in  1866  at  Roxbury,  as  nos.  VI.,  VII.,  of  Woodward's 
Historical  Series,  under  the  editorship  of  S.  G.  Drake  (see  pp. 
207-208).  The  present  text  follows  the  original  edition  (1700), 
but  corrects  it  by  the  list  of  Errata  to  be  found  in  the 
copy  (once  Cotton  Mather's)  possessed  by  the  Massachusetts 
Historical  Society.2 

letter  that  led  " E.  P."  to  think  Robert  Calef  a  "young  man";  for  those 
words,  in  italics  and  with  capital  initials,  stare  from  a  sentence  so  obscure  that 
to  a  hasty  glance  Calef,  instead  of  Mather  himself,  might  easily  seem  to  be 
meant. 

1  For  these  and  other  personal  details  see  Drake's  memoir,  in  his  ed.  of  Calef, 
and  his  History  and  Antiquities  of  Boston,  pp.  529,  531;  Boston  Record  Commis- 
sioners' Reports,  I.  156,  160,  VII.  210,  218,  225,  229,  VIII.  24,  26,  31,  33,  41,  43, 
75,  IX.  179,  195,  XL  145;  Memorial  History  of  Boston,  IV.  652;  F.  S.  Drake, 
The  Town  of  Roxbury  (Boston,  1905),  pp.  102,  140-149;  N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen. 
Register,  XIV.  52;  and  the  above-cited  article  of  W.  S.  Harris,  which  has  a 
photograph  of  the  gravestone.  From  these  mentions  will  be  learned  also  the 
name  of  his  wife,  Mary,  and  of  the  two  of  his  eight  children  who  were  born  (1688, 
1691)  after  his  coming  to  Boston.  It  will  be  learned,  too,  that  in  1692  he  was  a 
constable,  in  1694  hayward  and  fenceviewer,  in  1697  a  surveyor  of  highways,  in 
1698  a  clerk  of  the  market.  At  least  it  is  to  "Robert  Calef,"  not  to  "Robert 
Calef,  Jr.,"  that  the  records  award  these  offices.  And  it  is  perhaps  to  be  noticed 
that  while  the  name  of  "Robert  Calef"  is  often  preceded  by  "Mr.",  that  title 
does  not  appear  before  that  of  "Robert  Calef,  Jr." 

2  See  Drake's  ed.,  III.  223. 


MORE  WONDERS  OF  THE  INVISIBLE  WORLD 

More  Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World:  Or,  The  Wonders  of  the 
Invisible  World,  Displayed  in  Five  Parts. 

Part  I.  An  Account  of  the  Sufferings  of  Margaret  Rule,  Written 
by  the  Reverend  Mr.  C.  M. 

P.  II.  Several  Letters  to  the  Author,  etc.  And  his  Reply  relat- 
ing to  Witchcraft. 

P.  III.  The  Differences  between  the  Inhabitants  of  Salem  Vil- 
lage, and  Mr.  Parris  their  Minister,  in  New-England. 

P.  IV.  Letters  of  a  Gentleman  uninterested,  Endeavouring  to 
prove  the  received  Opinions  about  Witchcraft  to  be  Orthodox. 
With  short  Essays  to  their  Answers. 

P.  V.  A  short  Historical  Accou[n]t  of  Matters  of  Fact  in  that 
Affair. 

To  which  is  added,  A  Postscript  relating  to  a  Book  intitled,  The 
Life  of  Sir  William  Phips. 

Collected  by  Robert  Calef,  Merchant,  of  Boston  in  New-England. 
Licensed  and  Entred  according  to  Order. 

London:  Printed  for  Nath.  Hittar,  at  the  Princes-Arms,  in 
Leaden-H all-street,  over  against  St.  Mary- Ax,  and  Joseph 
Colly er,  at  the  Golden-Bible,  on  London-Bridge.  1700.1 

The  Epistle  to  the  Reader,  And  more  especially  to  the  Noble 
Bereans2  of  this  Age,  wherever  Residing. 

Gentlemen, 

You  that  are  freed  from  the  Slavery  of  a  corrupt  Education ; 
and  that  in  spite  of  human  Precepts,  Examples  and  Presidents,8 
can  hearken  to  the  Dictates  of  Scripture  and  Reason: 

'Title-page  of  original. 

1  /.  e.,  to  those  with  open  minds :  the  Bereans  are  commended  (Acts  xvii.  11) 
as  "more  noble"  because  "they  received  the  word  with  all  readiness  of  mind, 
and  searched  the  Scriptures  daily,  whether  these  things  were  so." 

1  Precedents :  this  odd  spelling  was  then  the  current  one. 

296 


1697]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  297 

For  your  sakes  I  am  content,  that  these  Collections  of  mine, 
as  also  my  Sentiments  should  be  exposed  to  publick  view;  In 
hopes  that  having  well  considered,  and  compared  them  with 
Scripture,  you  will  see  reason,  as  I  do,  to  question  a  belief  so 
prevalent  (as  that  here  treated  of)  as  also  the  practice  flowing 
from  thence;  they  standing  as  nearly  connext  as  cause  and 
effect;  it  being  found  wholly  impracticable,  to  extirpate  the 
latter  without  first  curing  the  former. 

And  if  the  Buffoon  or  Satyrical  will  be  exercising  their 
Talents,  or  if  the  Biggots  wilfully  and  blindly  reject  the  Testi- 
monies of  then-  own  Reason,  and  more  sure  word,  it  is  no  more 
than  what  I  expected  from  them. 

But  you  Gentlemen,  I  doubt  not,  are  willing  to  Distinguish 
between  Truth  and  Error,  and  if  this  may  be  any  furtherance 
to  you  herein,  I  shall  not  miss  my  Aim. 

But  if  you  find  the  contrary,  and  that  my  belief  herein  is 
any  way  Heterodox,  I  shall  be  thankful  for  the  Information 
to  any  Learned  or  Reverend  Person,  or  others,  that  shall  take 
that  pains  to  inform  me  better  by  Scripture,  or  sound  Reason, 
which  is  what  I  have  been  long  seeking  for  in  this  Country  in 
vain. 

In  a  time  when  not  only  England  in  particular,  but  almost 
all  Europe  had  been  labouring  against  the  Usurpations  of 
Tyranny  and  Slavery,  The  English  America  has  not  been 
behind  in  a  share  in  the  Common  calamities;  more  especially 
New-England  has  met  not  only  with  such  calamities  as  are 
common  to  the  rest,  but  with  several  aggravations  enhansing 
such  Afflictions,  by  the  Devastations  and  Cruelties  of  the  Bar- 
barous Indians  in  their  Eastern  borders,  etc. 

But  this  is  not  all,  they  have  been  harrast  (on  many  ac- 
counts) by  a  more  dreadful  Enemy,  as  will  herein  appear  to 
the  considerate. 

P.  66. l  Were  it  as  we  are  told  in  Wonders  of  the  Invisible 
World,  that  the  Devils  were  walking  about  our  Streets  with 

1  This  page-number  and  those  which  follow  refer  to  the  pages  of  Mather's 
Wonders  (original  edition),  from  which  the  substance  of  these  paragraphs  is 
quoted.  The  passages  quoted  will  be  found  in  Mather's  book  at  pp.  48,  41,  50, 
of  the  first  London  edition,  at  pp.  95,  80-82,  100,  of  that  of  1862,  at  pp.  121- 
122,  102-104,  128,  of  the  American  edition  of  1866.  They  do  not  belong  to  the 
pages  reprinted  in  the  present  volume. 


298         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1697 

lengthned  Chains  making  a  dreadful  noise  in  our  Ears,  and 
Brimstone,  even  without  a  Metaphor,  was  making  a  horrid 
and  a  hellish  stench  in  our  Nostrils, 

P.  49.  And  that  the  Devil  exhibiting  himself  ordinarily 
as  a  black-Man,1  had  decoy'd  a  fearful  knot  of  Proud,  Fro- 
ward,  Ignorant,  Envious  and  Malitious  Creatures,  to  list  them- 
selves in  his  horrid  Service,  by  entring  their  Names  in  a  Book 
tendered  unto  them;  and  that  they  have  had  their  Meetings 
and  Sacraments,  and  associated  themselves  to  destroy  the 
Kingdom  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  these  parts  of  the  World ; 
having  each  of  them  their  Spectres,  or  Devils  Commissionated 
by  them,  and  representing  of  them,  to  be  the  Engines  of  their 
Malice,  by  these  wicked  Spectres  siezing  poor  People  about 
the  Country  with  various  and  bloody  Torments.  And  of 
those  evidently  preternatural  Torments  some  to[o]  have  died. 
And  that  they  have, bewitched  some  even  so  far,  as  to  make 
them  self  destroyers,  and  others  in  many  Towns  here  and  there 
languish'd  under  their  evil  hands.  The  People  thus  afflicted 
jmiserably  scratch/d  and  bitten;  and  that  the  same  Invisible 
Furies  did  stick  Pins  in  them,  and  scald  them,  distort  and  dis- 
joint them,  with  a  Thousand  other  Plagues;  and  sometimes 
drag  them  out  of  their  Chambers,  and  carry  them  over  Trees 
and  Hills  Miles  together,  many  of  them  being  tempted  to  sign 
the  Devils  Laws. 

P.  7[0].  Those  furies  whereof  several  have  killed  more 
People  perhaps  than  would  serve  to  make  a  Village.2 

If  this  be  the  true  state  of  the  Afflictions  of  this  Country, 
it  is  very  deplorable,  and  beyond  all  other  outward  Calamities 
miserable.  But  if  on  the  other  side,  the  Matter  be  as  others 
do  understand  it,  That  the  Devil  has  been  too  hard  for  us  by 
his  Temptations,  signs,  and  lying  Wonders,  with  the  help  of 
pernicious  notions,  formerly  imbibed  and  professed;  together 
with  the  Accusations  of  a  parcel  of  possessed,  distracted,  or 
lying  Wenches,  accusing  their  Innocent  Neighbours,  pretend- 
ing they  see  their  Spectres  (i.  e.)  Devils  in  their  likeness  Afflict- 
ing of  them,  and  that  God  in  righteous  Judgment  (after  Men 

1  How  Mather  conceived  this  "black  man"  to  look  appears  from  the  de- 
scription he  ascribes  to  Mercy  Short  (p.  261,  above). 

1  In  the  original  there  is  here  no  paragraph,  the  paragraph  beginning  after 
the  next  sentence  with  "But  if,"  etc. 


1697]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  299 

had  ascribed  his  Power  to  Witches,  of  Commissionating  Devils 
to  do  these  things)  may  have  given  them  over  to  strong  de- 
lusions to  believe  lyes,  etc.  And  to  let  loose  the  Devils  of  I 
Envy,  Hatred,  Pride,  Cruelty,  and  Malice  against  each  other;, 
yet  still  disguised  under  the  Mask  of  Zeal  for  God,  and  left 
them  to  the  branding  one  another  with  the  odious  Name  of 
Witch;  and  upon  the  Accusation  of  those  above  mentioned, 
Brother  to  Accuse  and  Prosecute  Brother,  Children  their 
Parents,  Pastors  and  Teachers  their  immediate  Flock  unto 
death;  Shepherds  becoming  Wolves,  Wise  Men  Infatuated; 
People  hauled  to  Prisons,  with  a  bloody  noise  pursuing  to, 
and  insulting  over,  the  (true)  Sufferers  at  Execution,  while 
some  are  fleeing  from  that  call'd  Justice,  Justice  it  self  fleeing 
before  such  Accusations,  when  once  it  did  but  begin  to  refrain 
further  proceedings,  and  to  question  such  Practises,  some 
making  their  Escape  out  of  Prisons,  rather  than  by  an  obstinate 
Defence  of  their  Innocency,  to  run  so  apparent  hazard  of  their 
Lives;  Estates  seized,  Families  of  Children  and  others  left  to 
the  Mercy  of  the  Wilderness  (not  to  mention  here  the  Numbers 
prescribed,1  dead  in  Prisons,  or  Executed,  etc.) 

All  which  Tragedies,  tho  begun  in  one  Town,  or  rather  by ;  ^ 
one  Parish,  has  Plague-like  spread  more  than  through  that 
Country.    And  by  its  Eccho  giving  a  brand  of  Infamy  to  this 
whole  Country,  throughout  the  World, 

If  this  were  the  Miserable  case  of  this  Country  in  the  time 
thereof,  and  that  the  Devil  had  so  far  prevailed  upon  us  in  our 
Sentiments  and  Actions,  as  to  draw  us  from  so  much  as  look- 
ing into  the  Scriptures  for  our  guidance  in  these  pretended 
Intricacies,  leading  us  to  a  trusting  in  blind  guides,  such  as  the 
corrupt  practices  of  some  other  Countries,  or  the  bloody  Ex- 
periments of  Bodin,  and  such  other  Authors— Then  tho  our 
Case  be  most  miserable,  yet  it  must  be  said  of  New-England, 
Thou  hast  destroyed  thy  self,  and  brought  this  greatest  of 
Miseries  upon  thee. 

And  now  whether  the  Witches  (such  as  have  made  a  com- 
pact by  Explicit  Covenant  with  the  Devil,  having  thereby 
obtained  a  power  to  Commissionate  him)  have  been  the  cause 
of  our  miseries, 

Or  whether  a  Zeal  governed  by  blindness  and  passion,  and 

1  "Prescribed,"  as  then  often,  for  "proscribed,"  i,  e.,  condemned  to  death. 


300         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1697 

led  by  president,  has  not  herein  precipitated  us  into  far  greater 
wickedness  (if  not  Witchcrafts)  than  any  have  been  yet  proved 
against  those  that  suffered, 

To  be  able  to  distinguish  aright  in  this  matter,  to  which  of 
these  two  to  refer  our  Miseries  is  the  present  Work.  As  to 
the  former,  I  know  of  no  sober  Man,  much  less  Reverend 
Christian,  that  being  ask'd  dares  affirm  and  abide  by  it,  that 
Witches  have  that  power;  viz.  to  Commissionate  Devils  to 
kill  and  destroy.  And  as  to  the  latter,  it  were  well  if  there 
were  not  too  much  of  truth  in  it,  which  remains  to  be  demon- 
strated. 

But  here  it  will  be  said,  what  need  of  Raking  in  the  Coals 
that  lay  buried  in  oblivion.  We  cannot  recall  those  to  Life 
again  that  have  suffered,  supposing  it  were  unjustly;  it  tends 
but  to  the  exposing  the  Actors,  as  if  they  had  proceeded 
irregularly. 

Truly  I  take  this  to  be  just  as  the  Devil  would  have  it,  so 
much  to  fear  disobliging  men,  as  not  to  endeavour  to  detect 
his  Wiles,  that  so  he  may  the  sooner,  and  with  the  greater  Ad- 
vantages set  the  same  on  foot  again  (either  here  or  else  where) 
so  dragging  us  through  the  Pond  twice  by  the  same  Cat.1 
And  if  Reports  do  not  (herein)  deceive  us,  much  the  same  has 
been  acting  this  present  year  in  Scotland.2  And  what  King- 
dom or  Country  is  it,  that  has  not  had  their  bloody  fits  and 
turns  at  it.  And  if  this  is  such  a  catching  disease,  and  so  uni- 
versal, I  presume  I  need  make  no  Apology  for  my  Endeavours 
to  prevent,  as  far  as  in  my  power,  any  more  such  bloody  Vic- 
tims or  Sacrifices;  tho  indeed  I  had  rather  any  other  would 

1  For  a  description  of  the  joke,  played  on  boobies,  of  "dragging  through 
a  pond  with  a  cat,"  see  the  Oxford  Dictionary,  s.  v.  Cat,  III.  14,  or  Grose,  Diction- 
ary of  Vulgar  Terms,  s.  v.  "Cat-whipping."  "We  hope,  sir,"  said  in  1682  the 
London  Gazette,  "that  this  Nation  will  be  too  wise,  to  be  drawn  twice  through 
the  same  Water  by  the  very  same  Cat." 

1  As  Calef  is  writing  in  August,  1697,  he  doubtless  has  in  mind  the  cases  in 
Renfrewshire,  where  on  June  10  several  witches  were  hanged,  then  burned,  on 
the  Callow  Green  of  Paisley;  a  "Relation"  then  printed  recounts  "the  Diabolical 
Practices  of  above  Twenty."  Neither  the  relation  nor  the  tidings  of  the  burning 
could  well  have  reached  America  by  August  11;  but  the  trials  had  been  notorious 
for  months.  In  Scotland,  however,  such  things  had  been  constant,  as  may  be 
seen  by  the  records  of  the  Privy  Council.  Those  of  this  period  are  chronicled  by 
Robert  Chambers  in  his  Domestic  Annals  of  Scotland. 


1697]  CALEP,  MORE  WONDERS  301 

have  undertaken  so  offensive,  tho  necessary  a  task;  yet  all 
things  weighed,  I  had  rather  thus  Expose  my  self  to  Censure, 
than  that  it  should  be  wholly  omitted.  Were  the  notions  in 
question  innocent  and  harmless,  respecting  the  Glory  of  God, 
and  well  being  of  Men,  I  should  not  have  engaged  in  them, ' 
but  finding  them  in  my  esteem  so  intollerably  destructive  of 
both,  This  together  with  my  being  by  Warrant  called  before 
the  Justices,  in  my  own  Just  Vindication,  I  took  it  to  be  a  call 
from  God,  to  my  Power,1  to  Vindicate  his  Truths,  against  the 
Pagan  and  Popish  Assertions,  which  are  so  prevalent;  for  tho 
Christians  in  general  do  own  the  Scriptures  to  be  their  only 
Rule  of  Faith  and  Doctrine,  yet  these  Notions  will  tell  us,  that 
the  Scriptures  have  not  sufficiently,  nor  at  all  described  the 
crime  of  Witchcraft,  whereby  the  culpable  might  be  detected, 
tho  it  be  positive  in  the  Command  to  punish  it  by  Death; 
hence  the  World  has  been  from  time  to  time  perplext  in  the 
prosecution  of  the  several  Diabolical  mediums  of  Heathenish 
and  Popish  Invention,  to  detect  an  Imaginary  Crime  (not  but 
that  there  are  Witches,  such  as  the  Law  of  God  describes) 
which  has  produced  a  deluge  of  Blood;  hereby  rendering  the 
Commands  of  God  not  only  void  but  dangerous. 

So  also  they  own  Gods  Providence  and  Government  of  the 
World,  and  that  Tempests  and  Storms,  Afflictions  and  Diseases, 
are  of  his  sending;  yet  these  Notions  tell  us,  that  the  Devil 
has  the  power  of  all  these,  and  can  perform  them  when  com- 
mission'd  by  a  Witch  thereto,  and  that  he  has  a  power  at  the 
Witches  call  to  act  and  do,  without  and  against  the  course  of 
Nature,  and  all  natural  causes,  in  afflicting  and  killing  of  In- 
nocents; and  this  is  that  so  many  have  died  for. 

Also  it  is  generally  believed,  that  if  any  Man  has  strength, 
it  is  from  God  the  Almighty  Being:  But  these  notions  will  tell 
us,  that  the  Devil  can  make  one  Man  as  strong  as  many,  which 
was  one  of  the  best  proofs,  as  it  was  counted,  against  Mr. 
Burroughs  the  Minister;2  tho  his  contemporaries  in  the 
Schools  during  his  Minority  could  have  testified,  that  his 
strength  was  then  as  much  superiour  to  theirs  as  ever  (setting 
aside  incredible  Romances)  it  was  discovered  to  be  since. 
Thus  rendring  the  power  of  God,  and  his  providence  of  none 
Effect. 

1 7.  e.,  to  the  utmost  of  my  power.  *  See  pp.  219-220,  above. 


302         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1697 

These  are  some  of  the  destructive  notions  of  this  Age,  and 
however  the  asserters  of  them  seem  sometimes  to  value  them- 
selves much  upon  sheltring  their  Neighbours  from  Spectral 
Accusations,  They  may  deserve  as  much  thanks  as  that 
Tyrant,  that  having  industriously  obtained  an  unintelligible 
charge  against  his  Subjects,  in  matters  wherein  it  was  impos- 
sible they  should  be  Guilty,  having  thereby  their  lives  in  his 
power,  yet  suffers  them  of  his  meer  Grace  to  live,  and  will 
be  calTd  gracious  Lord. 

It  were  too  Icarian1  a  task  for  one  unfurnished  with  neces- 
sary learning,  and  Library,  to  give  any  Just  account,  from 
whence  so  great  delusions  have  sprung,  and  so  long  continued. 
Yet  as  an  Essay  from  those  scraps  of  reading  that  I  have  had 
opportunity  of,  it  will  be  no  great  venture  to  say,  that  Signs 
and  Lying  Wonders  have  been  one  principal  cause.2 

It  is  written  of  Justin  Martyr,  who  lived  in  the  second 
Century,  that  he  was  before  his  conversion  a  great  Philosopher; 
first  in  the  way  of  the  Stoicks,  and  after  of  the  Peripateticks, 
after  that  of  the  Pythagorean,  and  after  that  of  the  Platonists 
sects;  and  after  all  proved  of  Eminent  use  in  the  Church  of 
Christ;  Yet  a  certain  Author  speaking  of  one  Apollonius 
Tyaneus3  has  these  words,  "That  the  most  Orthodox  them- 
selves began  to  deem  him  vested  with  power  sufficient  for  a 
Deity;  which  occasioned  that  so  strange  a  doubt  from  Justin 
Martyr,  as  cited  by  the  learned  Gregory,  Fol.  37.  Et  @eo? 
eW,4  etc.  If  God  be  the  Creator  and  Lord  of  the  World,  how 
comes  it  to  pass  that  Apollonius  his  Telisms,5  have  so  much 
over-ruled  the  course  of  things!  for  we  see  that  they  also  have 
stilled  the  Waves  of  the  Sea,  and  the  raging  of  the  Winds,  and 
prevailed  against  the  Noisome  Flies,  and  Incursions  of  wild 
Beasts,"  etc.  If  so  Eminent  and  Early  a  Christian  were  by 
these  false  shews  in  such  doubt,  it  is  the  less  wonder  in  our 

1  I.e.,  presumptuous,  like  the  venture  of  Icarus,  who  flew  so  high  that  the 
sun  melted  off  his  wings. 

'He  is  thinking,  of  course,  of  such  "Remarkables"  as  those  told  by  the 
Mathers. 

3  Apollonius    of   Tyana,    the    first-century   Pythagorean    philosopher    and 
wonder-worker,  like  Justin  Martyr,  the  second-century  apologist  of  Christianity, 
is  perhaps  too  well  known  to  need  a  footnote. 

4  Justin  Martyr,  Quaestiones  et  Responsiones  ad  Orthodoxos,  qu.  24. 
1  Teleamata,  talismans,  magical  devices. 


1697]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  303 

depraved  times,  to  meet  with  what  is  Equivalent  thereto: 
Besides  this  a  certain  Author  informs  me,  that  "Julian  (after- 
wards called  the  Apostate)  being  instructed  in  the  Philosophy 
and  Disciplines  of  the  Heathen,  by  Libarius1  his  Tutor,  by 
this  means  he  came  to  love  Philosophy  better  than  the  Gospel, 
and  so  by  degrees  turn'd  from  Christianity  to  Heathenism." 

This  same  Julian  did,  when  Apostate,  forbid  that  Christians 
should  be  instructed  in  the  Discipline  of  the  Gentiles,  which 
(it  seems)  Socrates  a  Writer  of  the  Ecclesiastical  History,  does 
acknowledge  to  be  by  the  singular  Providence  of  God;  Chris- 
tians having  then  begun  to  degenerate  from  the  Gospel,  and 
to  betake  themselves  to  Heathenish  learning.  And  in  the 
Mercury  for  the  Month  of  February,  1695,  there  is  this  Ac- 
count, "That  the  Christian  Doctors  conversing  much  with  the 
writings  of  the  Heathen,  for  the  gaining  of  Eloquence,  A 
Counsel2  was  held  at  Carthage,  which  forbad  the  reading  of 
the  Books  of  the  Gentiles." 

From  all  which  it  may  be  easily  perceived,  that  in  the 
Primitive  times  of  Christianity,  when  not  only  many  Heathen 
of  the  Vulgar,  but  also  many  learn'd  Men  and  Philosophers 
had  imbraced  the  Christian  Faith,  they  still  retained  a  love 
to  their  Heathen-learning,  which  as  one  observes  being  trans- 
planted into  a  Christian  soile,  soon  proved  productive  of  per- 
nicious weeds,  which  over-ran  the  face  of  the  Church,  hence 
it  was  so  deformed  as  the  Reformation  found  it. 

Among  other  pernicious  Weeds  arising  from  this  Root,  the 
Doctrine  of  the  power  of  Devils  and  Witchcraft  as  it  is  now, 
and  long  has  been  understood,  is  not  the  least;  the  Fables  of 
Homer,  Virgil,  Horace  and  Ovid,  etc.,  being  for  the  Elegancy 
of  their  Language  retained  then  (and  so  are  to  this  day)  in 
the  schools,  have  not  only  introduced,  but  established  such 
Doctrines  to  the  poisoning  the  Christian  World.  A  certain 
Author  Expresses  it  thus,  "that  as  the  Christian  Schools  at 
first  brought  Men  from  Heathenism  to  the  Gospel,  so  these 
Schools  carry  Men  from  the  Gospel  to  Heathenism,  as  to  their 
great  perfection,"  and  Mr.  I.  M.3  in  his  Remarkable  Providences, 
gives  an  account  that  (as  he  calls  it)  an  Old  Counsel4  did 

1  Libanius.  J  Council :  the  Fourth  Council  of  Carthage,  398  A.  D. 

1  Increase  Mather. 

4  Council :  the  Spanish  Council  of  Bracara,  561  A.  D. 


304         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1697 

Anathematize  all  those  that  believed  such  power  of  the  Devils, 
accounting  it  a  Damnable  Doctrine.  But  as  other  Evils  did 
afterwards  increase  in  the  Church  (partly  by  such  Education) 
so  this  insensibly  grew  up  with  them,  tho  not  to  that  degree, 
as  that  any  Counsel1  I  have  ever  heard  or  Read  of  has  to  this 
day  taken  off  those  Anathema's;  yet  after  this  the  Church  so 
far  declined,  that  Witchcraft  became  a  Principal  Ecclesiastical 
Engine  (as  also  that  of  Heresie  was)  to  root  up  all  that  stood 
in  their  way;  and  besides  the  ways  of  Tryal  that  we  have  still 
in  practice,  they  invented  some,  which  were  peculiar  to  them- 
selves; which  when  ever  they  were  minded  to  improve  against 
any  Orthodox  believer,  they  could  easily  make  Effectual: 
That  Deluge  of  Blood  which  that  Scarlet  Whore2  has  to  an- 
swer for,  shed  under  this  notion,  how  amazing  is  it. 

The  first  in  England  that  I  have  read  of,  of  any  note  since 
the  Reformation,  that  asserts  this  Doctrine,  is  the  famous  Mr. 
Perkins,3  he  (as  also  Mr.  Gaul,4  and  Mr.  Bernard,6  etc.  seems 
all  of  them  to  have  undertaken  one  Task,  they)  taking  notice 
of  the  Multiplicity  of  irregular  ways  to  try  them  by,  invented 
by  Heathen  and  Papists,  made  it  their  business  and  main  work 
herein  to  oppose  such  as  they  saw  to  be  pernicious.  And  if 
they  did  not  look  more  narrowly  into  it,  but  followed  the 
first,  viz.  Mr.  Perkins  whose  Education  (as  theirs  also)  had 

1  Council. 

*  He  means  the  Roman  church.     Revelation,  xvii. 

1  William  Perkins  (1558-1602),  the  eminent  Cambridge  divine — "our 
Perkins,"  as  Increase  Mather  calls  him — whose  Discourse  of  the  Damned  Art  of 
Witchcraft  (London,  1608,  1610,  and  in  the  many  editions  of  his  Works)  was  the 
highest  authority  to  Puritans. 

4  John  Gaule.    See  p.  216,  note  1. 

*  Richard  Bernard  (1567-1641),  long  minister  of  Batcombe  in  Somersetshire. 
His  Guide  to  Grand-Jurymen  ...  in  cases  of  Witchcraft  (1627,  1629)  was,  though 
credulous  and  cruel  enough,  the  most  mild  and  cautious  of  the  Puritan  mono- 
graphs.    The  tiny  volume,  now  very  rare,  had  perhaps  never  a  great  circulation 
(in  1692  Increase  Mather  declares  it,  like  Gaule's  book,  "rare  to  be  had");  but 
its  rules  for  the  detection  of  witches  gained  much  vogue  from  their  adoption  by 
Michael  Dalton  into  his  The  Countrey  Justice,  the  standard  manual  for  the  pro- 
cedure of  the  lower  courts.     It  is  clearly,  however,  from  Bernard's  book  itself 
that  Cotton  Mather  has  abridged  these  rules  in  his  Wonders',   and  the  book,  as 
well  as  this  extract,  was  doubtless  in  the  hands  of  the  Salem  judges.     Increase 
Mather  quotes  it  often,  and  by  page,  and  tells  us  that  it  "is  a  solid  and  a  wise 
treatise."     (Cases  of  Conscience,  1693,  p.  18.) 


1697]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  305 

forestalled  him  into  such  belief,  whom  they  readily  followed, 
it  cannot  be  wondered  at:  And  that  they  were  men  liable  to 
Err,  and  so  not  to  be  trusted  to  as  perfect  guides,  will  mani- 
festly appear  to  him  that  shall  see  their  several  receits  laid 
down  to  detect  them  by  their  Presumptive  and  Positive  ones. 
And  consider  how  few  of  either  have  any  foundation  in  Scrip- 
ture or  Reason;  and  how  vastly  they  differ  from  each  other 
in  both,  each  having  his  Art  by  himself,  which  Forty  or  an 
Hundred  more  may  as  well  imitate,  and  give  theirs,  ad  infini- 
tum,  being  without  all  manner  of  proof. 

But  tho  this  be  their  main  design  to  take  off  People  from 
those  Evil  and  bloody  ways  of  trial  which  they  speak  so  much 
against,  Yet  this  does  not  hinder  to  this  day,  but  the  same 
evil  ways  or  as  bad  are  still  used  to  detect  them  by,  and  that 
even  among  Protestants;  and  is  so  far  Justified,  that  a  Rev- 
erend Person  has  said  lately  here,  how  else  shall  we  detect 
Witches?  And  another  being  urged  to  prove  by  Scripture 
such  a  sort  of  Witch  as  has  power  to  send  Devils  to  kill  men, 
replied,  that  he  did  as  firmly  believe  it  as  any  article  of  his 
Faith.  And  that  he  (the  Inquirer)  did  not  go  to  the  Scripture, 
to  learn  the  Mysteries  of  his  trade  or  Art.  What  can  be  said 
more  to  Establish  there  Heathenish  notions  and  to  villifie  the 
Scriptures,  our  only  Rule;  and  that  after  we  have  seen  such 
dire  effects  thereof,  as  has  threatned  the  utter  Extirpation 
of  this  whole  Country. 

And  as  to  most  of  the  Actors  in  these  Tragedies,  tho  they 
are  so  far  from  defending  their  Actions  that  they  will  Readily 
own,  that  undue  steps  have  been  taken,  etc.,  Yet  it  seems 
they  choose  that  the  same  should  be  Acted  over  again  inforced 
by  their  Example,  rather  than  that  it  should  Remain  as  a 
Warning  to  Posterity,  wherein  they  have  mist  it.  So  far  are 
they  from  giving  Glory  to  God,  and  taking  the  due  shame  to 
themselves." 

And  now  to  sum  up  all  in  a  few  words,  we  have  seen  a 
Biggotted  Zeal,  stirring  up  a  Blind  and  most  Bloody  rage,  not 
against  Enemies,  or  Irreligious  Proffligate  Persons,  But  (in 
Judgment  of  Charity,  and  to  view)  against  as  Vertuous  and 
Religious  as  any  they  have  left  behind  them  in  this  Country, 
which  have  suffered  as  Evil  doers  with  the  utmost  extent  of 
rigour  (not  that  so  high  a  Character  is  due  to  all  that  Suffered) 


306         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1697 

and  this  by  the  Testimony  of  Vile  Varlets  as  not  only  were 
known  before,  but  have  been  further  apparent  since  by  their 
Manifest  Lives,  Whordoms,  Incest,  etc.  The  Accusations  of 
these,  from  their  Spectral  Sight,  being  the  chief  Evidence 
against  those  that  Suffered.  In  which  Accusations  they  were 
upheld  by  both  Magistrates  and  Ministers,  so  long  as  they 
Apprehended  themselves  in  no  Danger. 

And  then  tho  they  could  defend  neither  the  Doctrine,  nor 
the  Practice,  yet  none  of  them  have  in  such  a  publick  manner 
as  the  case  Requires,  testified  against  either;  tho  at  the  same 
time  they  could  not  but  be  sensible  what  a  Stain  and  lasting 
Infamy  they  have  brought  upon  the  whole  Country,  to  the 
Indangering  the  future  welfair  not  only  of  this  but  of  other 
places,  induced  by  their  Example;  if  not,  to  an  in  tailing  the 
Guilt  of  all  the  Righteous  Blood  that  has  been  by  the  same 
means  Shed,  by  Heathen  or  Papists,  etc.,  upon  themselves, 
whose  deeds  they  have  so  far  justified,  occasioning  the  great 
Dishonour  and  Blasphemy  of  the  Name  of  God,  Scandalizing 
the  Heathen,  hardning  of  Enemies;  and  as  a  Natural  effect 
thereof,  to  the  great  Increase  of  Atheism. 

I  shall  conclude  only  with  acquainting  the  Reader,  that  of 
these  Collections,  the  first,  containing  more  Wonders  of  the 
Invisible  World,  I  received  of  a  Gentleman,1  who  had  it  of 
the  Author  and  communicated  it  to  me,2  with  his  express  con- 
sent, of  which  this  is  a  true  Copy.3  As  to  the  Letters,  they 

1  It  has  been  conjectured  that  this  gentleman  may  have  been  one  of  the  two 
Brattles.  In  a  letter  of  March  1,  1695  (More  Wonders,  p.  30 — not  here  reprinted), 
to  a  "Mr.  B."  (Brattle?)  Calef  mentions  other  papers  received  from  Mather 
through  his  hands — but  to  be  returned  speedily  and  not  copied.  He,  however, 
he  says,  made  notes  in  the  margin  where  he  thought  it  needful.  These  papers, 
as  it  will  rejoice  all  students  to  learn,  have  just  been  identified  by  Mr.  Worthing- 
ton  C.  Ford  (to  whose  courtesy  the  editor  owes  his  knowledge  of  them)  among 
those  in  the  keeping  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  and  they  will  be 
published  in  full — both  Mather's  text  and  Calef's  marginalia  (with  a  facsimile 
plate)  in  that  society's  Proceedings  for  1913-1914.  See  also  below,  p.  388,  at  end. 

*The  original  has  "use";  but  this  is  corrected  to  "me"  in  the  Errata  (see 
p.  295,  above). 

'  A  copy,  not  of  the  "express  consent,"  but  of  the  "More  Wonders  of  the 
Invisible  World" — the  Margaret  Rule  story  as  a  whole — to  which  the  letter  of 
Mather  introducing  it  was  perhaps  attached  as  a  sort  of  open  "letter  to  the 
reader. "  Between  this  preface  and  that  letter  there  intervenes  a  table  of  contents, 
not  here  reprinted. 


CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  307 

are  for  Substance  the  same  I  sent,  tho  with  some  small  Varia- 
tion or  Addition.  Touching  the  two  Letters  from  a  Gentle- 
man, at  his  request  I  have  forborn  naming  him.  It  is  great 
Pity  the  matters  of  Fact,  and  indeed  the  whole,  had  not  been 
done  by  some  abler  hand  better  Accomplished  and  Advantaged 
with  both  natural  and  acquired  Judgments,  but  others  not 
Appearing,  I  have  inforc'd  my  self  to  do  what  is  done,  my 
other  occasions  Will  not  admit  any  further  Scrutiny  therein. 

R.  C. 
BOSTON  in  New-England,  Aug.  11,  1697. 


Sir, 

I  now  lay  before  you  a  very  Entertaining  Story,  a  Story 
which  relates  yet  more  Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World,1  a 
Story  which  tells  the  Remarkable  Afflictions  and  Deliverance 
of  one  that  had  been  Prodigiously  handled  by  the  Evil  Angels. 
I  was  my  self  a  daily  Eye  Witness  to  a  large  part  of  these  Occur- 
rences, and  there  may  be  produced  Scores  of  Substantial  Wit- 
nesses to  the  most  of  them;  yea,  I  know  not  of  any  one  Passage 
of  the  Story,  but  what  may  be  sufficiently  Attested.  I  do 
not  Write  it  with  a  design  of  throwing  it  presently  into  the 
Press,  but  only  to  preserve  the  Memory  of  such  Memorable 
things,  the  forgetting  whereof  would  neither  be  pleasing  to 
God,  nor  useful  to  Men;  as  also  to  give  you,  with  some  others 
of  peculiar  and  obliging  Friends,  a  sight  of  some  Curiosities, 
and  I  hope  this  Apologie  will  serve  to  Excuse  me,  if  I  mention, 
as  perhaps  I  may,  when  I  come  to  a  tenth  Paragraph  in  my 
Writing,2  some  things  which  I  would  have  omitted  in  a  farther 
Publication. 

COTTON  MATHER.3 

1  It  is,  in  other  words,  a  supplement  to  his  book  thus  entitled,  as  its  other 
name,  "Another  Brand  pluckt  out  of  the  Burning,"  makes  it  a  supplement  to 
his  Mercy  Short  narrative. 

2  See  his  "Sect.  10"  (pp.  316-318,  below). 

1  As  to  this  letter  see  p.  306,  note  3.  The  Margaret  Rule  MS.  is  still  pre- 
served in  the  library  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society;  and  Poole,  who 
used  it  for  his  chapter  on  witchcraft  in  the  Memorial  History  of  Boston,  has 
in  a  footnote  (II.  152)  printed  a  facsimile  of  the  "To  bee  Return'd  unto  C. 
Mather"  written  on  it  by  its  author. 


308        NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1691 

ANOTHER  BRAND  PLUCKT  OUT  OF  THE  BURNING, 
OR,  MORE  WONDERS  OF  THE  INVISIBLE 
WORLD 

PART  I. 

Section  I. 

The  Afflictions  of  Margaret  Rule. 

WITHIN  these  few  years  there  died  in  the  Southern  Parts 
a  Christian  Indian,  who  notwithstanding  some  of  his  Indian 
Weakness,  had  something  of  a  better  Character  of  vertue  and 
Goodness,  than  many  of  our  People  can  allow  to  most  of  their 
Countrey-men,  that  profess  the  Christian  Religion.  He  had 
been  a  Zealous  Preacher  of  the  Gospel  to  his  Neighbour-hood, 
and  a  sort  of  Overseer,  or  Officer,  to  whose  Conduct  was 
owing  very  much  of  what  good  order  was  maintained  among 
those  Proselited  Savages :  This  Man  returning  home  from  the 
Funeral  of  his  Son,  was  Complemented  by  an  English-Man, 
expressing  Sorrow  for  his  Loss;  now,  tho'  the  Indians  use, 
upon  the  Death  of  Relations,  to  be  the  most  Passionate  and 
Outragious  Creatures  in  the  World,  yet  this  Converted  Indian 
Handsomely  and  Chearfully  repli'd,  "Truly  I  am  sorry,  and 
I  am  not  sorry;  I  am  sorry  that  I  have  Buried  a  dear  Son; 
but  I  am  not  sorry  that  the  will  of  God  is  done.  I  know  that 
without  the  will  of  God  my  Son  could  not  have  Died,  and  I 
know  that  the  will  of  God  is  all  ways  just  and  good,  and  so 
I  am  satisfied."  Immediately  upon  this,  even  within  a  few 
hours,  he  fell  himself  Sick  of  a  Disease  that  quickly  kill'd  him ; 
in  the  time  of  which  Disease  he  called  his  Folks  about  him, 
earnestly  perswading  them  to  be  Sincere  in  their  Praying  unto 
God,  and  beware  of  the  Drunkenness,  the  Idleness,  the  Lying, 
whereby  so  many  of  that  Nation  disgrac'd  their  Profession  of 
Christianity;  adding,  that  he  was  ashamed  when  he  thought 
how  little  Service  he  had  hitherto  done  for  God;  and  that  if 
God  would  prolong  his  Life  he  would  Labour  to  do  better  Ser- 
vice, but  that  he  was  fully  sure  he  was  now  going  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  who  had  bought  him  with  his  own  Precious  Blood ; 
and  for  his  part  he  long'd  to  Die  that  he  might  be  with  his 
Glorious  Lord;  and  in  the  mid'st  of  such  passages  he  gave  up 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  309 

the  Ghost,  but  in  such  repute,  that  the  English  People  of  good 
Fashion  did  not  think  much  of  Travelling  a  great  way  to  his 
Interment.  Lest  my  Reader  do  now  wonder  why  I  have  re- 
lated this  piece  of  a  Story,  I  will  now  hasten  to  abate  that 
Wonder,  by  telling  that  whereto  this  was  intended,  but  for 
an  Introduction:  Know  then  that  this  remarkable  Indian 
being  a  little  before  he  Died  at  work  in  the  Wood  making  of 
Tarr,  there  appeared  unto  him  a  Black-Man,  of  a  Terrible 
aspect,  and  more  than  humane  Dimensions,  threatning  bitterly 
to  kill  him  if  he  would  not  promise  to  leave  off  Preaching  as 
he  did  to  his  Countrey-Men,  and  promise  particularly,  that  if 
he  Preached  any  more,  he  would  say  nothing  of  Jesus  Christ 
unto  them.  The  Indian  amaz'd,  yet  had  the  courage  to  answer, 
I  will  in  spite  of  you  go  on  to  Preach  Christ  more  than  ever  I 
did,  and  the  God  whom  I  serve  will  keep  me  that  you  shall 
never  hurt  me.  Hereupon  the  Apparition  abating  somewhat 
of  his  fierceness,  offered  to  the  Indian  a  Book  of  a  considerable  1 
thickness  and  a  Pen  and  Ink,  and  said,  that  if  he  would  now  set  * 
his  hand  unto  that  Book,  he  would  require  nothing  further  of 
him;  but  the  Man  refused  the  motion  with  indignation,  and 
fell  down  upon  his  knees  into  a  Fervent  and  Pious  Prayer  unto 
God  for  help  against  the  Tempter,  whereupon  the  Daemon 
Vanish't. 

This  is  a  Story  which  I  would  never  have  tendered  unto 
my  Reader,  if  I  had  not  Receiv'd  it  from  an  honest  and  useful 
English  Man,  who  is  at  this  time  a  Preacher  of  the  Gospel  to 
the  Indians,1  nor  would  the  probable2  Truth  of  it  have  en- 
couraged me  to  have  tendered  it,  if  this  also  had  not  been  a 
fit  introduction  unto  yet  a  further  Narrative. 

Sect.  2.  'Twas  not  much  above  a  year  or  two,  after  this 
Accident  (of  which  no  manner  of  Noise  has  been  made)  that 
there  was  a  Prodigious  descent  of  Devils  upon  divers  places 
near  the  Center  of  this  Province,  wherein  some  scores  of  Mis- 

1  Very  probably  his  uncle,  the  Rev.  John  Cotton  (1640-1699),  who  had 
formerly  preached  in  Martha's  Vineyard  (1664-1667)  and  had  there  learned  the 
Indian  tongue,  and  who  now,  at  Plymouth,  continued  to  preach  to  Indians  as  well 
as  whites.     In  his  life  of  Eliot  and  in  bk.  VI.  of  his  Magnalia  Mather  relates 
much  more  of  the  Christian  Indians  of  Martha's  Vineyard  and  of  the  witchcrafts 
there. 

2  Provable,  demonstrable. 


310         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

erable  People  were  Troubled  by  horrible  appearances  of  a 
Black-Man,  accompanied  with  Spectres,  wearing  these  and 
those  Humane  Shapes,  who  offer 'd  them  a  Book  to  be  by  them 
sign'd,  in  token  of  their  being  Listed  for  the  Service  of  the  Devil, 
and  upon  their  denying  to  do  it,  they  were  Dragoon'd1  with 
a  thousand  Preternatural  Torments,  which  gave  no  little  terror 
to  the  beholders  of  these  unhappy  Energuments.2  There  was 
one  in  the  North  part  of  Boston  seized  by  the  Evil-Angels  many 
Months  after  the  General  Storm  of  the  late  Inchantments  was 
over,  and  when  the  Countrey  had  long  lain  pretty  quiet,  both 
as  to  Molestations  and  Accusations  from  the  Invisible  World, 
her  Name  was  Margaret  Rule,  a  Young  Woman.  She  was 
born  of  sober  and  honest  Parents,  yet  Living,  but  what  her 
own  Character  was  before  her  Visitation,  I  can  speak  with  the 
less  confidence  of  exactness,  because  I  observe  that  wherever 
the  Devils  have  been  let  loose  to  worry  any  Poor  Creature 
amongst  us,  a  great  part  of  the  Neighbourhood  presently  set 
themselves  to  inquire  and  relate  all  the  little  Vanities  of  their 
Childhood,  with  such  unequal  exaggerations,  as  to  make  them 
appear  greater  Sinners  than  any  whom  the  Pilate  of  Hell  has 
not  yet  Preyed  upon :  But  it  is  affirm'd,  that  for  about  half 
a  year  before  her  Visitation,  she  was  observably  improved  in 
the  hopeful  symptoms  of  a  new  Creature;  She  was  become 
seriously  concern'd  for  the  everlasting  Salvation  of  her  Soul, 
and  careful  to  avoid  the  snares  of  Evil  Company.  This  Young 
Woman  had  never  seen  the  affliction  of  Mercy  Short,  whereof 
a  Narrative  has  been  already  given,3  and  yet  about  half  a 
year  after  the  glorious  and  signal  deliverance  of  that  poor 
Damsel,  this  Margaret  fell  into  an  affliction,  marvellous,  re- 
sembling hers  in  almost  all  the  circumstances  of  it,  indeed  the 
Afflictions  were  so  much  alike,  that  the  relation  I  have  given 
of  the  one,  would  almost  serve  as  the  full  History  of  the  other, 
this  was  to  that,  little  more  than  the  second  part  to  the  same 
Tune,  indeed  Margarets  case  was  in  several  points  less  remark- 
able than  Mercies,  and  in  some  other  things  the  Entertainment 
did  a  little  vary. 

Sect.  3.  'Twas  upon  the  Lords  Day  the  10th  of  September, 
in  the  Year  1693,  that  Margaret  Rule,  after  some  hours  of 
previous  disturbance  in  the  Publick  Assembly,  fell  into  odd 

1  See  p.  189,  note  2.     *  Energumens  -.i.e.,  demoniacs.     a  See  pp.  255  ff .,  above. 


1693]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  311 

Fits,  which  caused  her  Friends  to  carry  her  home,  where  her 
Fits  in  a  few  hours  grew  into  a  Figure  that  satisfied  the  Spec- 
tators of  their  being  preternatural;  some  of  the  Neighbours 
were  forward  enough  to  suspect  the  rise  of  this  Mischief  in  an 
House  hard-by,  where  lived  a  Miserable  Woman,  who  had 
been  formerly  Imprisoned  on  the  suspicion  of  Witchcraft,  and 
who  had  frequently  Cured  very  painfull  Hurts  by  muttering 
over  them  certain  Charms,  which  I  shall  not  indanger  the 
Poysoning  of  my  Reader  by  repeating.  This  Woman  had  the 
Evening  before  Margaret  fell  into  her  Calamities,  very  bitterly 
treated  her,  and  threatn'd  her;  but  the  hazard  of  hurting  a 
poor  Woman  that  might  be  innocent,  notwithstanding  Sur- 
mizes that  might  have  been  more  strongly  grounded  than 
those,  caus'd  the  pious  People  in  the  Vicinity  to  try  rather 
whether  incessant  Supplication  to  God  alone,  might  not  pro- 
cure a  quicker  and  safer  Ease  to  the  Afflicted,  than  hasty  Prose- 
cution of  any  suppos'd  Criminal,  and  accordingly  that  unex- 
ceptionable course  was  all  that  was  ever  followed;  yea,  which 
I  look't  on  as  a  token  for  good,  the  Afflicted  Family  was  as 
averse  as  any  of  us  all  to  entertain  thoughts  of  any  other  course. 
Sect.  4.  The  Young  Woman  was  assaulted  by  Eight  cruel 
Spectres,  whereof  she  imagin'd  that  she  knew  three  or  four, 
but  the  rest  came  still  with  their  Faces  cover'd,  so  that  she 
could  never  have  a  distinguishing  view  of  the  countenance  of 
those  whom  she  thought  she  knew;  she  was  very  careful  of 
my  reitterated  charges  to  forbear  blazing  the  Names,  lest  any 
good  Person  should  come  to  suffer  any  blast  of  Reputation 
thro'  the  cunning  Malice  of  the  great  Accuser;  nevertheless 
having  since  privately  named  them  to  my  self,  I  will  venture 
to  say  this  of  them,  that  they  are  a  sort  of  Wretches  who  for 
these  many  years  have  gone  under  as  Violent  Presumptions  of 
Witchcraft,  as  perhaps  any  creatures  yet  living  upon  Earth; 
altho'  I  am  farr  from  thinking  that  the  Visions  of  this  Young 
Woman  were  Evidence  enough  to  prove  them  so.  These 
cursed  Spectres  now  brought  unto  her  a  Book  about  a  Cubet 
long,  a  Book  Red  and  thick,  but  not  very  broad,  and  they 
demanded  of  her  that  she  would  set  her  Hand  to  that  Book, 
or  touch  it  at  least  with  her  Hand,  as  a  Sign  of  her  becoming 
a  Servant  of  the  Devil;  upon  her  peremptory  refusal  to  do 
what  they  asked,  they  did  not  after  renew  the  profers  of  the 


312         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

Book  unto  her,  but  instead  thereof,  they  fell  to  Tormenting 
of  her  in  a  manner  too  Hellish  to  be  sufficiently  described,  in 
those  Torments  confining  her  to  her  Bed,  for  just  Six  weeks 
together. 

Sect.  5.  Sometimes,  but  not  always,  together  with  the 
Spectres  there  look't  in  upon  the  Young  Woman  (according 
to  her  account)  a  short  and  a  Black  Man,  whom  they  call'd 
their  Master,  a  Wight  exactly  of  the  same  Dimensions  and 
Complexion  and  voice,  with  the  Divel  that  has  exhibited  him- 
self unto  other  infested  People,  not  only  in  other  parts  of  this 
Country  but  also  in  other  Countrys,  even  of  the  European 
World,  as  the  relation  of  the  Enchantments  there  inform  us, 
they  all  profest  themselves  Vassals  of  this  Devil,  and  in  obedi- 
ence unto  him  they  address  themselves  unto  various  ways  of 
Torturing  her;  accordingly  she  was  cruelly  pinch't  with  In- 
visible hands  very  often  in  a  Day,  and  the  black  and  blew  marks 
of  the  pinches  became  immediately  visible  unto  the  standers 
by.  Besides  this,  when  her  attendants  had  left  her  without 
so  much  as  one  pin  about  her,  that  so  they  might  prevent  some 
fear'd  inconveniencies;  yet  she  would  ever  now  and  then  be 
miserably  hurt  with  Pins  which  were  found  stuck  into  her  Neck, 
Back  and  Arms,  however,  the  Wounds  made  by  the  Pins  would 
in  a  few  minutes  ordinarily  be  cured;  she  would  also  be 
strangely  distorted  in  her  Joynts,  and  thrown  into  such  ex- 
orbitant Convulsions  as  were  astonishing  unto  the  Spectators 
in  General;  They  that  could  behold  the  doleful  condition  of 
the  poor  Family  without  sensible  compassions,  might  have 
Intrals  indeed,  but  I  am  sure  they  could  have  no  true  Bowels 
in  them. 

Sect.  6.  It  were  a  most  Unchristian  and  uncivil,  yea  a 
most  unreasonable  thing  to  imagine  that  the  Fitt's  of  the 
Young  Woman  were  but  meer  Impostures:  And  I  believe 
scarce  any,  but  People  of  a  particular  Dirtiness,  will  harbour 
such  an  Uncharitable  Censure;  however,  because  I  know  not 
how  far  the  Devil  may  drive  the  Imagination  of  poor  Creatures 
when  he  has  possession  of  them,  that  at  another  time  when  they 
are  themselves  would  scorn  to  Dissemble  any  thing,  I  shall 
now  confine  my  Narrative  unto  passages,  wherein  there  could 
be  no  room  left  for  any  Dissimulation.  Of  these  the  first  that 
I'll  mention  shall  be  this;  From  the  time  that  Margaret  Rule 


1693]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  313 

first  found  herself  to  be  formally  besieged  by  the  Spectres 
untill  the  Ninth  Day  following,  namely  from  the  Tenth  of 
September  to  the  Eighteenth,  she  kept  an  entire  Fast,  and  yet 
she  was  unto  all  appearance  as  Fresh,  as  Lively,  as  Hearty,  at 
the  Nine  Days  End,  as  before  they  began;  in  all  this  time, 
tho'  she  had  a  very  eager  Hunger  upon  her  Stomach,  yet  if 
any  refreshment  were  brought  unto  her,  her  Teeth  would  be 
set,  and  she  would  be  thrown  into  many  Miseries,  Indeed  once 
or  twice  or  so  in  all  this  time,  her  Tormentors  permitted  her 
to  swallow  a  Mouthful  of  somewhat  that  might  encrease  her 
Miseries,  whereof  a  Spoonful  of  Rum  was  the  most  considerable  ; 
but  otherwise,  as  I  said,  her  Fast  unto  the  Ninth  day  was 
very  extream  and  rigid:  However,  afterwards  there  scarce 
passed  a  day  wherein  she  had  not  liberty  to  take  something  or 
other  for  her  Sustentation,  And  I  must  add  this  further,  that 
this  business  of  her  Fast  was  carried  so,  that  it  was  impossible 
to  be  dissembled  without  a  Combination  of  Multitudes  of 
People  unacquainted  with  one  another  to  support  the  Juggle, 
but  he  that  can  imagine  such  a  thing  of  a  Neighbourhood  so 
fill'd  with  Vertuous  People  is  a  base  man,  I  cannot  call  him 
any  other. 

Sect.  7.  But  if  the  Sufferings  of  this  Young  Woman  were 
not  Imposture,  yet  might  they  not  be  pure  Distemper?  I  will 
not  here  inquire  of  our  Saducees,  what  sort  of  Distemper  'tis 
shall  stick  the  Body  full  of  Pins,  without  any  Hand  that  could 
be  seen  to  stick  them;  or  whether  all  the  Pin-makers  in  the 
World  would  be  willing  to  be  Evaporated  into  certain  ill  habits 
of  Body  producing  a  Distemper,  but  of  the  Distemper  my 
Reader  shall  be  Judge  when  I  have  told  him  something  further 
of  those  unusual  Sufferings.  I  do  believe  that  the  Evil  Angels 
do  often  take  Advantage  from  Natural  Distempers  in  the  Chil- 
dren of  Men  to  annoy  them  with  such  further  Mischiefs  as  we 
call  preternatural.  The  Malignant  Vapours  and  Humours  of 
our  Diseased  Bodies  may  be  used  by  Devils  thereinto  insinu- 
ating as  engine  of  the  Execution  of  their  Malice  upon  those 
Bodies;  and  perhaps  for  this  reason  one  Sex  may  suffer  more 
Troubles  of  some  kinds  from  the  Invisible  World  than  the  other, 
as  well  as  for  that  reason  for  which  the  Old  Serpent  made 
where  he  did  his  first  Address.  But  I  Pray  what  will  you  say 
to  this,  Margaret  Rule  would  sometimes  have  her  Jaws  for- 


314         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

cibly  pulled  open,  whereupon  something  Invisible  would  be 
poured  down  her  Throat;  we  all  saw  her  swallow,  and  yet  we 
saw  her  try  all  she  could  by  Spitting,  Coughing  and  Shriking,1 
that  she  might  not  swalow,  but  one  time  the  standers  by 
plainly  saw  something  of  that  odd  Liquor  it  self  on  the  outside 
of  her  Neck;  She  cried  out  of  it  as  of  Scalding  Brimstone 
poured  into  her,  and  the  whole  House  would  Immediately 
scent  so  hot  of  Brimstone  that  we  were  scarce  able  to  endure  it, 
whereof  there  are  scores  of  Witnesses;  but  the  Young  Woman 
her  self  would  be  so  monstrously  Inflam'd  that  it  would  have 
broke  a  Heart  of  Stone  to  have  seen  her  Agonies.  This  was  a 
thing  that  several  times  happen'd  and  several  times  when  her 
Mouth  was  thus  pulTd  open,  the  standers  by  clapping  their 
Hands  close  thereupon  the  distresses  that  otherwise  followed 
would  be  diverted.  Moreover  there  was  a  whitish  powder  to 
us  Invisible  somtimes  cast  upon  the  Eyes  of  this  Young  Woman, 
whereby  her  Eyes  would  be  extreamly  incommoded,  but  one 
time  some  of  this  Powder  was  fallen  actually  Visible  upon  her 
Cheek,  from  whence  the  People  in  the  Room  wiped  it  with 
their  Handkerchiefs,  and  somtimes  the  Young  Woman  would 
also  be  so  bitterly  scorched  with  the  unseen  Sulphur  thrown 
upon  her,  that  very  sensible  Blisters  would  be  raised  upon  her 
Skin,  whereto  her  Friends  found  it  necessary  to  apply  the  Oyl's 
proper  for  common  Burning,  but  the  most  of  these  Hurts 
would  be  cured  in  two  or  three  days  at  farthest :  I  think  I  may 
without  Vanity  pretend  to  have  read  not  a  few  of  the  best 
System's  of  Physick  that  have  been  yet  seen  in  these  American 
Regions,  but  I  must  confess  that  I  have  never  yet  learned  the 
Name  of  the  Natural  Distemper,  whereto  these  odd  symptoms 
do  belong :  However  I  might  suggest  perhaps  many  a  Natural 
Medicine,  which  would  be  of  singular  use  against  many  of 
them. 

Sect.  8.  But  there  fell  out  some  other  matters  far  beyond 
the  reach  of  Natural  Distemper :  This  Margaret  Rule  once  in 
the  middle  of  the  Night  Lamented  sadly  that  the  Spectres 
threatned  the  Drowning  of  a  Young  Man  in  the  Neighbour- 
hood, whom  she  named  unto  the  Company:  well  it  was  after- 
wards found  that  at  that  very  time  this  Young  Man,  having 
been  prest  on  Board  a  Man  of  War  then  in  the  Harbour,  was 

1  Hawking?    The  word  is  unknown  to  the  dictionaries. 


1693]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  ,  315 

out  of  some  dissatisfaction  attempting  to  swim  ashoar,  and  he 
had  been  Drowned  in  the  attempt,  if^a  Boat  had  not  seasonably 
taken  him  up;  it  was  by  computation  a  minute  or  two  after 
the  Young  Womans  discourse  of  the  Drowning,  that  the  Young 
Man  took  the  Water.  At  another  time  she  told  us  that  the 
Spectres  bragg'd  and  laughed  in  her  hearing  about  an  exploit 
they  had  lately  done,  by  stealing  from  a  Gentleman  his  Will 
soon  after  he  had  written  it;  and  within  a  few  hours  after  she 
had  spoken  this  there  came  to  me  a  Gentleman  with  a  private 
complaint,  that  having  written  his  Will  it  was  unaccountably 
gone  out  of  the  way,  how  or  where  he  could  not  Imagine;  and 
besides  all  this,  there  were  wonderful  Noises  every  now  and 
then  made  about  the  Room,  which  our  People  could  Ascribe 
to  no  other  Authors  but  the  Spectres,  yea,  the  Watchers  affirm 
that  they  heard  those  fiends  clapping  of  their  hands  together 
with  an  Audibleness,  wherein  they  could  not  be  Imposed  upon: 
And  once  her  Tormentors  pull'd  her  up  to  the  Cieling  of  the 
Chamber,  and  held  her  there  before  a  very  Numerous  Company 
of  Spectators,  who  found  it  as  much  as  they  could  all  do  to 
pull  her  down  again.  There  was  also  another  very  surprising 
circumstance  about  her,  agreeable  to  what  we  have  not  only 
Read  in  several  Histories  concerning  the  Imps  that  have  been 
Imployed  in  Witchcraft;  but  also  known  in  some  of  our  own 
afflicted :  We  once  thought  we  perceived  something  stir  upon 
her  Pillow  at  a  little  distance  from  her,  whereupon  one  present 
laying  his  hand  there,  he  to  his  horror  apprehended  that  he 
felt,  tho'  none  could  see  it,  a  living  Creature,  not  altogether 
unlike  a  Rat,  which  nimbly  escap'd  from  him :  and  there  were 
diverse  other  Persons  who  were  thrown  into  a  great  consternar 
tion  by  feeling,  as  they  Judg'd,  at  other  times  the  same  In- 
visible Animal. 

Sect.  9.  As  it  has  been  with  a  Thousand  other  Inchanted 
People,  so  it  was  with  Margaret  Rule  in  this  particular,  that 
there  were  several  words  which  her  Tormentors  would  not  let 
her  hear,  especially  the  words  Pray  or  Prayer,  and  yet  she 
could  so  hear  the  letters  of  those  words  distinctly  mentioned 
as  to  know  what  they  ment.  The  standers  by  were  forced 
sometimes  thus  in  discourse  to  spell  a  word  to  her,  but  because 
there  were  some  so  ridiculous  as  to  count  it  a  sort  of  Spell  or 
a  Charm  for  any  thus  to  accommodate  themselves  to  the 


316         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

capacity  of  the  Sufferer,  little  of  this  kind  was  done.  But  that 
which  was  more  singular  in  this  matter,  was  that  she  could 
not  use  these  words  in  those  penetrating  discourses,  where- 
with she  would  sometimes  address  the  Spectres  that  were  about 
her.  She  would  sometimes  for  a  long  while  together  apply 
herself  to  the  Spectres,  whom  she  supposed  the  Witches,  with 
such  Exhortations  to  Repentance  as  would  have  melted  an 
Heart  of  Adamant  to  have  heard  them ;  her  strains  of  Expres- 
sion and  Argument  were  truly  Extraordinary;  A  person  per- 
haps of  the  best  Education  and  Experience  and  of  Attainments 
much  beyond  hers  could  not  have  exceeded  them:  neverthe- 
less when  she  came  to  these  Words  God,  Lord,  Christ,  Good, 
Repent,  and  some  other  such,  her  Mouth  could  not  utter  them, 
whereupon  she  would  somtimes  in  an  Angry  Parenthesis  com- 
plain of  their  Wickedness  in  stopping  that  Word,  but  she  would 
then  go  on  with  some  other  Terms  that  would  serve  to  tell 
what  she  ment.  And  I  believe  that  if  the  most  suspicious 
Person  in  the  world  had  beheld  all  the  Circumstances  of  this 
matter,  he  would  have  said  it  could  not  have  been  dissembled. 
Sect.  10.  Not  only  hi  the  Swedish,  but  also  in  the  Salem 
Witchcraft  the  Inchanted  People  have  talked  much  of  a  White 
Spirit  from  whence  they  received  marvellous  Assistances  in 
their  Miseries;  what  lately  befel  Mercy  Short  from  the  Com- 
munications of  such  a  Spirit,  hath  been  the  just  Wonder  of 
us  all,  but  by  such  a  Spirit  was  Margaret  Rule  now  also  visited. 
She  says  that  she  could  never  see  his  Face;  but  that  she  had 
a  frequent  view  of  his  bright,  Shining  and  Glorious  Garments; 
he  stood  by  her  Bed-side  continually  heartning  and  comfort- 
ing of  her  and  counselling  her  to  maintain  her  Faith  and  hope 
in  God,  and  never  comply  with  the  temptations  of  her  Adver- 
saries; she  says  he  told  her,  that  God  had  permitted  her 
Afflictions  to  befall  her  for  the  everlasting  and  unspeakable 
good  of  her  own  Soul,  and  for  the  good  of  many  others,  and  for 
his  own  Immortal  Glory,  and  that  she  should  therefore  be  of 
good  Chear  and  be  assured  of  a  speedy  deliverance;  And  the 
wonderful  resolution  of  mind  wherewith  she  encountered  her 
Afflictions  were  but  agreeable  to  such  expectations.  More- 
over a  Minister1  having  one  Day  with  some  Importunity 
Prayed  for  the  deliverance  of  this  Young  Woman,  and  pleaded 

1  Mather  himself,  of  course. 


1693]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  317 

that  she  belonged  to  his  Flock  and  charge;  he  had  so  far 
right  unto  her  as  that  he  was  to  do  the  part  of  a  Minister  of 
our  Lord  for  the  bringing  of  her  home  unto  God;  only  now  the 
Devil  hindred  him  in  doing  that  which  he  had  a  right  thus  to 
do,  and  whereas  He  had  a  better  Title  unto  her  to  bring  her 
home  to  God  than  the  Divel  could  have  unto  her  to  carry  her 
away  from  the  Lord,  he  therefore  humbly  applied  himself 
unto  God,  who  alone  could  right  this  matter,  with  a  suit  that 
she  might  be  rescued  out  of  Satans  Hands;  Immediatly  upon 
this,  tho'  she  heard  nothing  of  this  transaction  she  began  to 
call  that  Minister  her  Father,  and  that  was  the  Name  whereby 
she  every  day  before  all  sorts  of  People  distinguished  him: 
the  occasion  of  it  she  says  was  this,  the  white  Spirit  presently 
upon  this  transaction  did  after  this  manner  speak  to  her, 
"Margaret,  you  now  are  to  take  notice  that"  (such  a  Man) 
"  is  your  Father,  God  has  given  you  to  him,  do  you  from  this 
time  look  upon  him  as  your  Father,  obey  him,  regard  him  as 
your  Father,  follow  his  Counsels  and  you  shall  do  well";  And 
tho'  there  was  one  passage  more,  which  I  do  as  little  know 
what  to  make  of  as  any  of  the  Rest,  I  am  now  going  to  relate 
it;  more  than  three  times  have  I  seen  it  fulfilled  in  the  Deliver- 
ance of  Inchanted  and  Possest  Persons,  whom  the  Providence 
of  God  has  cast  into  my  way,  that  their  Deliverance  could  not 
be  obtained  before  the  third  Fast  kept  for  them,  and  the  third 
day  still  obtain'd  the  Deliverance,  altho'  I  have  thought  of 
beseeching  of  the  Lord  thrice,  when  buffeted  by  Satan,  yet  I 
must  earnestly  Intreat  all  my  Readers  to  beware  of  any  super- 
stitious conceits  upon  the  Number  Three;  if  our  God  will 
hear  us  upon  once  Praying  and  Fasting  before  him  'tis  well, 
and  if  he  will  not  vouchsafe  his  Mercy  upon  our  thrice  doing 
so,  yet  we  must  not  be  so  discouraged  as  to  throw  by  our 
Devotion  but  if  the  Soveraign  Grace  of  our  God  will  in  any 
particular  Instances  count  our  Patience  enough  tryed  when  we 
have  Solemnly  waited  upon  him  for  any  determinate  Number 
of  times,  who  shall  say  to  him,  what  doest  thou,  and  if  there 
shall  be  any  Number  of  Instances,  wherein  this  Grace  of  our 
God  has  exactly  holden  the  same  course,  it  may  have  a  room  in 
our  humble  Observations,  I  hope,  without  any  Superstition; 
I  say  then  that  after  Margaret  Rule  had  been  more  than  five 
weeks  in  her  Miseries,  this  White  Spirit  said  unto  her,  "Well 


318         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

this  day  such  a  Man"  (whom  he  named1)  "has  kept  a  third 
day  for  your  deliverance,  now  be  of  good  cheer  you  shall 
speedily  be  delivered."  I  inquired  whether  what  had  been 
said  of  that  Man  were  true,  and  I  gained  exact  and  certain 
Information  that  it  was  precisely  so,  but  I  doubt  lest  in  relat- 
ing this  Passage  that  I  have  used  more  openness  than  a  Friend 
should  be  treated  with,  and  for  that  cause  I  have  concealed 
several  of  the  most  memorable  things  that  have  occurred  not 
only  in  this  but  in  some  former  Histories,  altho  indeed  I  am 
not  so  well  satisfied  about  the  true  nature  of  this  white  Spirit, 
as  to  count  that  I  can  do  a  Friend  much  Honour  by  reporting 
what  notice  this  white  Spirit  may  have  thus  taken  of  him. 

Sect.  11.  On  the  last  day  of  the  Week  her  Tormentors  as 
she  thought  and  said,  approaching  towards  her,  would  be  forced 
still  to  recoil  and  retire  as  unaccountably  unable  to  meddle 
with  her,  and  they  would  retire  to  the  Fire  side  with  their 
Poppets;  but  going  to  stick  Pins  into  those  Poppets,  they 
could  not  (according  to  their  visions)  make  the  Pins  to  enter, 
she  insulted  over  them  with  a  very  Proper  derision,  daring 
them  now  to  do  their  worst,  whilst  she  had  the  satisfaction  to 
see  then-  Black  Master  strike  them  and  kick  them,  like  an 
Overseer  of  so  many  Negro's,  to  make  them  to  do  their  work, 
and  renew  the  marks  of  his  vengeance  on  them,  when  they 
failed  of  doing  of  it.  At  last  being  as  it  were  tired  with  their 
ineffectual  Attempts  to  mortifie  her  they  furiously  said,  "  Well 
you  shant  be  the  last."  And  after  a  pause  they  added,  "Go,  and 
the  Devil  go  with  you,  we  can  do  no  more";  whereupon  they 
flew  out  of  the  Room  and  she  returning  perfectly  to  her  self 
most  affectionately  gave  thanks  to  God  for  her  deliverance; 
her  Tormentors  left  her  extream  weak  and  faint,  and  over- 
whelmed with  Vapours,  which  would  not  only  cause  her  some- 
times to  Swoon  away,  but  also  now  and  then  for  a  little  while 
discompose  the  reasonableness  of  her  Thoughts;  Neverthe- 
less her  former  troubles  returned  not,  but  we  are  now  waiting 
to  see  the  good  effects  of  those  troubles  upon  the  Souls  of  all 
concern'd.  And  now  I  suppose  that  some  of  our  Learned  wit- 
lings of  the  Coffee-House,  for  fear  lest  these  proofs  of  an  In- 
visible-world should  spoil  some  of  their  sport,  will  endeavour 
to  turn  them  all  into  sport,  for  which  Buffoonary  their  only 

1  Again  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  writer  means  himself. 


1693]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  319 

pretence  will  be,  they  cant  understand  how  such  things  as 
these  could  be  done,  whereas  indeed  he  that  is  but  Philosopher 
enough  to  have  read  but  one  Little  Treatise,  Published  in  the 
Year  1656  by  no  other  Man  than  the  Chyrurgion  of  an  Army,1 
or  but  one  Chap,  of  Helmont,2  which  I  will  not  quote  at  this 
time  too  particularly,  may  give  a  far  more  intelligible  account 
of  these  Appearances  than  most  of  these  Blades  can  give  why 
and  how  their  Tobacco  makes  'em  Spit ;  or  which  way  the  flame 
of  their  Candle  becomes  illuminating.  As  for  that  cavil,  the 
world  would  be  undone  if  the  Devils  could  have  such  power  as 
they  seem  to  have  in  several  of  our  stories,  it  may  be  Answered 
that  as  to  many  things  the  Lying  Devils  have  only  known  them 
to  be  done,  and  then  pretended  unto  the  doing  of  those  things, 
but  the  true  and  best  Answer  is,  that  by  these  things  we  only 
see  what  the  Devils  could  have  powers  to  do,  if  the  great  God 
should  give  them  those  powers,  whereas  now  our  Histories 
affords  a  Glorious  Evidence  for  the  being  of  a  God,  the  World 
would  indeed  be  undone,  and  horribly  undone,  if  these  Devils, 
who  now  and  then  get  liberty  to  play  some  very  mischievous 
pranks,  were  not  under  a  daily  restraint  of  some  Almighty 
Superior  from  doing  more  of  such  Mischiefs.  Wherefore  in- 
stead of  all  Apish  flouts  and  jeers  at  Histories,  which  have  such 
undoubted  confirmation,  as  that  no  Man  that  has  breeding 
enough  to  regard  the  Common  Laws  of  Humane  Society,  will 
offer  to  doubt  of  'em,  it  becomes  us  rather  to  adore  the  Good- 
ness of  God,  who  does  not  permit  such  things  every  day  to 
befall  us  all,  as  he  sometimes  did  permit  to  befall  some  few  of 
our  miserable  Neighbours. 

Sect.  12.    And  what,  after  all  my  unwearied  Cares  and 

1  Who  this  "Chyrurgion"  was  and  what  his  treatise,  is  a  puzzle — as  it  was 
perhaps  meant  to  be.     Balthasar  Timaus  von  Guldenklee  (1600-1667),  physician 
to  the  Elector  of  Brandenburg,  had  earned  his  nobility  by  healing  the  Swedish 
army  of  the  pest  in  1637,  and  in  his  Casus  Medicinales  has  a  passage  on  diseases 
ascribed  to  witchcraft;  but  it  does  not  appear  that  this  work  was  published  be- 
fore 1662.     Antonius  Deusing  (1612-1666),  physician  to  the  Stadholder  of  Fries- 
land,  published  in  1656  a  treatise  on  this  subject;  but  it  does  not  appear  that  he 
was  ever  an  army  surgeon. 

2  Doubtless  the  elder,  Jan  Baptista  van  Helmont  (1577-1644),  the  eminent 
but  visionary  Flemish  physician;  and  the  "one  Chap."  that  on  "Recepta  injecta" 
in  his  Tractatus  de  Morbis — though  he  goes  into  the  subject  as  fully  in  paragraphs 
87-152  of  his  De  Magnetica  Vvlnerum  Curatione. 


320         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

Pains,  to  rescue  the  Miserable  from  the  Lions  and  Bears  of 
Hell,  which  had  siezed  them,  and  after  all  my  Studies  to  dis- 
appoint the  Devils  in  their  designs  to  confound  my  Neighbour- 
hood, must  I  be  driven  to  the  necessity  of  an  Apologie?  Truly 
the  hard  representations  wherewith  some  111  Men  have  reviled 
my  conduct,  and  the  Countenance  which  other  Men  have  given 
to  these  representations,  oblige  me  to  give  Mankind  some  ac- 
count of  my  Behaviour;  No  Christian  can,  I  say  none  but 
evil  workers  can  criminate  my  visiting  such  of  my  poor  flock 
as  have  at  any  time  fallen  under  the  terrible  and  sensible 
molestations  of  Evil- Angels;  let  their  Afflictions  have  been 
what  they  will,  I  could  not  have  answered  it  unto  my  Glorious 
Lord,  if  I  had  withheld  my  just  Counsels  and  Comforts  from 
them;  and  if  I  have  also  with  some  exactness  observ'd  the 
methods  of  the  Invisible- World,  when  they  have  thus  become 
observable,  I  have  been  but  a  Servant  of  Mankind  in  doing  so ; 
yea  no  less  a  Person  than  the  Venerable  Baxter  has  more  than 
once  or  twice  in  the  most  Publick  manner  invited  Mankind 
to  thank  me  for  that  Service.1  I  have  not  been  insensible 
of  a  greater  danger  attending  me  in  this  fulfilment  of  my 
Ministry,  than  if  I  had  been  to  take  Ten  Thousand  steps  over 
a  Rocky  Mountain  filTd  with  Rattle-Snakes,  but  I  have  con- 
sider'd,  he  that  is  wise  will  observe  things,  and  the  Surprizing 
Explication  and  confirmation  of  the  biggest  part  of  the  Bible, 
which  I  have  seen  given  in  these  things,  has  abundantly  paid 
me  for  observing  them.  Now  in  my  visiting  of  the  Miserable, 
I  was  always  of  this  opinion  that  we  were  Ignorant  of  what 
Powers'the  Devils  might  have  to  do  their  mischiefs  in  the  shapes 
of  some  that  had  never  been  explicitly  engaged  in  Diabolical 
Confederacies,  and  that  therefore  tho'  many  Witchcrafts  had 
been  fairly  detected  on  Enquiries  provoked  and  begun  by 
Specteral  Exhibitions,  yet  we  could  not  easily  be  too  jealous2 
of  the  Snares  laid  for  us  in  the  devices  of  Satan;  the  World 
knows  how  many  Pages  I  have  Composed  and  Published,  and 
particular  Gentlemen  in  the  Government  know  how  many 
Letters  I  have  written  to  prevent  the  excessive  Credit  of 

1  Notably  in  his  own  book  on  The  Certainty  of  the  Worlds  of  Spirits  (London, 
1691)  and  in  the  preface  which  he  wrote  for  the  London  edition  of  Mather's 
Memorable  Providences,  published  in  that  year. 

1  Suspicious. 


1693]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  321 

Specteral  Accusations,  wherefore  I  have  still  charged  the 
Afflicted  that  they  should  Cry  out  of  no  body  for  Afflicting  of 
'em.  But  that  if  this  might  be  any  Advantage  they  might 
privately  tell  their  minds  to  some  one  Person  of  discretion 
enough  to  make  no  ill  use  of  their  communications,  accord- 
ingly there  has  been  this  effect  of  it,  that  the  Name  of  No  one 
good  Person  in  the  World  ever  came  under  any  blemish  by 
means  of  any  Afflicted  Person  that  fell  under  my  particular 
cognisance,  yea  no  one  Man,  Woman  or  Child  ever  came  into 
any  trouble  for  the  sake  of  any  that  were  Afflicted  after  I  had 
once  begun  to  look  after  'em ;  how  often  have  I  had  this  thrown 
into  my  dish,  that  many  years  ago  I  had  an  opportunity  to 
have  brought  forth  such  People  as  have  in  the  late  storm  of 
Witchcraft  been  complain'd  of,  but  that  I  smother'd  all,  and 
after  that  storm  was  rais'd  at  Salem,  I  did  myself  offer  to  pro- 
vide Meat,  Drink  and  Lodging  for  no  less  than  Six  of  the 
Afflicted,  that  so  an  Experiment  might  be  made,  whether 
Prayer  with  Fasting  upon  the  removal  of  the  distressed  might 
not  put  a  Period  to  the  trouble  then  rising,  without  giving  the 
Civil  Authority  the  trouble  of  prosecuting  those  things  which 
nothing  but  a  Conscientious  regard  unto  the  cries  of  Miser- 
able Families,  could  have  overcome  the  Reluctancies  of  the 
Honourable  Judges  to  meddle  with;  In  short  I  do  humbly 
but  freely  affirm  it,  there  is  not  that  Man  living  in  this  World 
who  has  been  more  desirous  than  the  poor  Man  I  to  shelter 
my  Neighbours  from  the  Inconveniencies  of  Specteral  Outcries, 
yea  I  am  very  jealous  I  have  done  so  much  that  way  as  to 
Sin  in  what  I  have  done,  such  have  been  the  Cowardize  and 
Fearfulness  whereunto  my  regard  unto  the  dissatisfactions  of 
other  People  has  precipitated  me.  I  know  a  Man  in  the 
World,  who  has  thought  he  has  been  able  to  Convict  some 
such  Witches  as  ought  to  Dye,  but  his  respect  unto  the  Publick 
Peace  has  caused  him  rather  to  try  whether  He  could  not  re- 
new them  by  Repentance:  And  as  I  have  been  Studious  to 
defeat  the  Devils  of  their  expectations  to  set  people  together 
by  the  Ears,  thus,  I  have  also  checked  and  quell' d  those  for- 
bidden curiosities,  which  would  have  given  the  Devil  an  invi- 
tation to  have  tarried  amongst  us,  when  I  have  seen  wonder- 
ful Snares  laid  for  Curious  People,  by  the  secret  and  future 
things  discovered  from  the  Mouths  of  Damsels  possest  with  a 


322         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1603 


Spirit  of  divination;  Indeed  I  can  recollect  but  one 
wherein  there  could  be  given  so  much  as  a  Shadow  of  Reason 
for  Exceptions,  and  that  is  my  allowing  of  so  many  to  come 
and  see  those  that  were  Afflicted,  now  for  that  I  have  this  to 
say,  that  I  have  almost  a  Thousand  times  intreated  the  Friends 
of  the  Miserable,  that  they  would  not  permit  the  Intrusion  of 
any  Company,  but  such  as  by  Prayers  or  other  ways  might 
be  helpful  to  them;  Nevertheless  I  have  not  absolutely  for- 
bid all  Company  from  coming  to  your  Haunted  Chambers, 
partly  because  the  Calamities  of  the  Families  were  such  as 
required  the  Assistance  of  many  Friends;  partly  because  I 
have  been  willing  that  there  should  be  disinterested  Witnesses 
of  all  sorts,  to  confute  the  Calumnies  of  such  as  would  say  all 
was  but  Imposture;  and  partly  because  I  saw  God  had  Sanc- 
tified the  Spectacle  of  the  Miseries  on  the  Afflicted  unto  the 
Souls  of  many  that  were  Spectators,  and  it  is  a  very  Glorious 
thing  that  I  have  now  to  mention  —  The  Devils  have  with 
most  horrendous  operations  broke  in  upon  our  Neighbourhood, 
and  God  has  at  such  a  rate  over-ruled  all  the  Fury  and  Malice 
of  those  Devils,  that  all  the  Afflicted  have  not  only  been  De- 
livered, but  I  hope  also  savingly  brought  home  unto  God, 
and  the  Reputation  of  no  one  good  Person  in  the  World  has 
been  damaged,  but  instead  thereof  the  Souls  of  many,  especially 
of  the  rising  Generation,  have  been  thereby  awaken  'd  unto 
some  acquaintance  with  Religion;  our  young  People  who  be- 
longed unto  the  Praying  Meetings,  of  both  Sexes,  a  part  would 
ordinarily  spend  whole  Nights  by  the  whole  Weeks  together  in 
Prayers  and  Psalms  upon  these  occasions,  in  which  Devotions 
the  Devils  could  get  nothing  but  like  Fools  a  Scourge  for  their 
own  Backs,  and  some  scores  of  other  young  People,  who  were 
strangers  to  real  Piety,  were  now  struck  with  the  lively  dem- 
onstrations of  Hell  evidently  set  forth  before  their  Eyes, 
when  they  saw  Persons  cruelly  Frighted,  wounded  and  Starved 
by  Devils  and  Scalded  with  burning  Brimstone,  and  yet  so 
preserved  in  this  tortured  estate  as  that  at  the  end  of  one 
Months  wretchedness  they  were  as  able  still  to  undergo  an- 
other, so  that  of  these  also  it  might  now  be  said,  Behold  they 
Pray  in  the  whole  —  The  Devil  got  just  nothing;  but  God  got 
praises,  Christ  got  Subjects,  the  Holy  Spirit  got  Temples,  the 
Church  got  Addition,  and  the  Souls  of  Men  got  everlasting 


r 


1693]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  323 

Benefits;  I  am  not  so  vain  as  to  say  that  any  Wisdome  or 
Vertue  of  mine  did  contribute  unto  this  good  order  of  things : 
But  I  am  so  just,  as  to  say  I  did  not  hinder  this  Good.  When 
therefore  there  have  been  those  that  pickt  up  little  incoherent 
scraps  and  bits  of  my  Discourses  in  this  faithful  discharge  of 
my  Ministry,  and  so  traversted1  'em  in  their  abusive  Pam- 
phlets,2 as  to  perswade  the  Town  that  I  was  their  common 
Enemy  in  those  very  points,  wherein,  if  in  any  one  thing 
whatsoever,  I  have  sensibly  approved  my  self  as  true  V  Serv- 
ant unto  'em  as  possibly  I  could,  tho  my  Life  and  Soul  had 
been  at  Stake  for  it,  Yea  to  do  like  Satan  himself,  by  sly, 
base,  unpretending  Insinuations,  as  if  I  wore  not  the  Modesty 
and  Gravity  which  became  a  Minister  of  the  Gospel,  I  could 
not  but  think  my  self  unkindly  dealt  withal,  and  the  neglects 
of  others  to  do  me  justice  in  this  affair  has  caused  me  to  con- 
clude this  Narrative  with  complaints  in  another  hearing  of 
such  Monstrous  Injuries.3 

1  Travestied.  *  See  p.  332,  below. 

3  The  story  of  Margaret  Rule  is  told  again  in  Mather's  Diary  (I.  171  ff.) 
and  in  a  way  that  throws  fresh  light  on  his  relation  to  the  case. 

"About  a  Week  after  the  Beginning  of  September,  being  sollicitous  to  do  some 
further  Service,  for  the  Name  of  God,  I  took  a  Journey  to  Salem.  There,  I  not 
only  sought  a  further  Supply  of  my  Furniture  for  my  Church-History,  but  also 
endeavoured,  that  the  complete  History  of  the  late  Witchcrafts  and  Possessions 
might  not  bee  lost.  I  judg'd  that  the  Preservacion  of  that  History  might  in  a 
while  bee  a  singular  Benefit  unto  the  Church,  and  unto  the  World,  which  made  mee 
sollicitous  about  it.  Moreover,  I  was  willing  to  preach  the  Word  of  God  unto 
the  numerous  Congregation  at  Salem;  which  I  did,  on  both  Parts  of  the  Sabbath, 
not  only  with  a  most  glorious  Assistence  of  Heaven,  but  also  with  some  Assur- 
ance of  Good  thereby  to  bee  done  among  the  People.  But  I  had  one  singular 
Unhappiness,  which  befel  mee,  in  this  Journey.  I  had  largely  written  three  Dis- 
courses, which  I  designed  both  to  preach  at  Salem,  and  hereafter  to  print.  These 
Notes  were  before  the  Sabbath  stolen  from  mee,  with  such  Circumstances,  that 
I  am  somewhat  satisfied,  The  Spectres,  or  Agents  in  the  invisible  World,  were  the 
Robbers.  This  Disaster  had  like  to  have  disturbed  my  Designs  for  the  Sabbath; 
but  God  helped  mee  to  remember  a  great  part  of  what  I  had  written,  and  to 
deliver  also  many  other  Things,  which  else  I  had  not  now  made  use  of.  So  that 
the  Divel  gott  nothing! 

"Among  other  things  which  entertained  mee  at  Salem,  one  was,  a  Discourse 
with  one  Mrs.  Carver,  who  had  been  strangely  visited  with  some  shining  Spirits, 
which  were  good  Angels,  in  her  opinion  of  them. 

"She  intimated  several  things  unto  mee  whereof  some  were  to  be  kept  secret. 
Shee  also  told  mee,  That  a  new  Storm  of  Witchcraft  would  fall  upon  the  Coun- 
trey,  to  chastise  the  Iniquity  that  was  used  in  the  wilful  Smothering  and  Covering 


324         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

PART  II. 
A  Letter  to  Mr.  C.  M. 

BOSTON,  Jan.  llth,  1693.1 
Mr.  Cotton  Mather, 

Reverend  Sir,  I  finding  it  needful  on  many  accounts,  I  here 
present  you  with  the  Copy  of  that  Paper,  which  has  been  so 
much  Misrepresented,  to  the  End  that  what  shall  be  found 
defective  or  not  fairly  Represented,  if  any  such  shall  appear, 
they  may  be  set  right,  which  Runs  thus. 

September  the  13th,  1693. 

In  the  Evening  when  the  Sun  was  withdrawn,  giving  place  to 
Darkness  to  succeed,  I  with  some  others  were  drawn  by  curiosity 
to  see  Margaret  Rule,  and  so  much  the  rather  because  it  was  reported 

Mr.  M *  would  be  there  that  Night :  Being  come  to  her  Fathers 

House  into  the  Chamber  wherein  she  was  in  Bed,  found  her  of  a 

of  the  Last;  and  that  many  fierce  Opposites  to  the  Discovery  of  that  Witchcraft 
would  bee  thereby  convinced. 

"Unto  my  Surprise,  when  I  came  home,  I  found  one  of  my  Neighbours  hor- 
ribly arrested  by  evil  Spirits.  I  then  beg'd  of  God,  that  Hee  would  help  mee 
wisely  to  discharge  my  Duty  upon  this  occasion,  and  avoid  gratifying  of  the  evil 
Angels  in  any  of  their  Expectacions.  I  did  then  concern  myself  to  use  and  gett 
as  much  Prayer  as  I  could  for  the  afflicted  young  Woman;  and  at  the  same  time, 
to  forbid,  either  her  from  accusing  any  of  her  Neighbours,  or  others  from  enquir- 
ing any  thing  of  her.  Nevertheless,  a  wicked  Man  wrote  a  most  lying  Libel  to 
revile  my  Conduct  in  these  matters;  which  drove  mee  to  the  Blessed  God,  with 
my  Supplications  that  Hee  would  wonderfully  protect  mee,  as  well  from  unreason- 
able Men  acted  by  the  Divels,  as  from  the  Divels  themselves.  I  did  at  first,  it 
may  bee,  too  much  resent  the  Injuries  of  that  Libel;  but  God  brought  good  out 
of  it;  it  occasioned  the  Multiplication  of  my  Prayers  before  Him;  it  very  much 
promoted  the  Works  of  Humiliation  and  Mortification  in  my  Soul.  Indeed,  the 
Divel  made  that  Libel  an  Occasion  of  those  Paroxysms  in  the  Town,  that  would 
have  exceedingly  gratify'd  him,  if  God  had  not  helped  mee  to  forgive  and  forgett 
the  Injuries  done  unto  mee,  and  to  bee  deaf  unto  the  Solicitations  of  those  that 
would  have  had  mee  so  to  have  resented  the  Injuries  of  some  few  Persons,  as  to 
have  deserted  the  Lecture  at  the  Old  Meeting  house. 

"When  the  afflicted  young  woman  had  undergone  six  Weeks  of  preternatural 
Calamities  and  when  God  had  helped  mee  to  keep  just  three  Dayes  of  Prayer  on 
her  behalf,  I  had  the  Pleasure  of  seeing  the  same  Success,  which  I  used  to  have, 
on  my  third  Fast,  for  such  possessed  People,  as  have  been  cast  into  my 

1 1694  of  our  present  calendar.  *  Mather.    . 


1693]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  325 

healthy  countenance  of  about  seventeen  Years  Old,  lying  very  still, 
and  speaking  very  little,  what  she  did  say  seem'd  as  if  she  were  Light- 
headed. Then  Mr.  M ,  Father  and  Son,  came  up  and  others 

with  them,  in  the  whole  were  about  30  or  40  Persons ;  they  being  sat, 
the  Father  on  a  Stool,  and  the  Son  upon  the  Bedside  by  her,  the  Son 
began  to  question  her,  Margaret  Rule,  how  do  you  do?  then  a  pause 
without  any  answer.  Question.  What,  do  there  a  great  many 
Witches  sit  upon  you?  Answer.  Yes.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that 
there  is  a  hard  Master?  Then  she  was  in  a  Fit;  He  laid  his  hand 
upon  her  Face  and  Nose,  but,  as  he  said,  without  perceiving  Breath; 
then  he  brush'd  her  on  the  Face  with  his  Glove,  and  rubb'd  her 
Stomach  (her  breast  not  covered  with  the  Bed-cloaths)  and  bid 
others  do  so  too,  and  said  it  eased  her,  then  she  revived.  Q.  Don't 
you  know  there  is  a  hard  Master?  A.  Yes.  Reply;  Don't  serve 
that  hard  Master,  yqu  know  who.  Q.  Do  you  believe?  Then  again 
she  was  in  a  Fit,  and  he  again  rub'd  her  Breast,  etc.  (about  this  time 
Margaret  Perd  an  attendant  assisted  him  in  rubbing  of  her.  The 
Afflicted  spake  angerely  to  her  saying  don't  you  meddle  with  me, 
and  hastily  put  away  her  hand)  he  wrought  his  Fingers  before  her 
Eyes  and  asked  her  if  she  saw  the  Witches?  A.  No.  Q.  Do  you 

cares.  God  gave  her  a  glorious  Deliverance;  The  remarkable  Circumstances 
whereof,  I  have  more  fully  related,  in  an  History  of  the  whole  Business. 

"As  for  my  missing  Notes,  the  possessed  young  Woman,  of  her  own  Accord, 
enquir'd  whether  I  missed  them  not?  Shee  told  mee,  the  Spectres  brag'd  in  her 
hearing,  that  they  had  rob't  mee  of  them;  shee  added,' Bee  n't  concern'd;  for  they 
confess,  they  can't  keep  them  alwayes  from  you;  you  shall  have  them  all  brought 
you  again.  (They  were  Notes  on  Ps.  119.  19  and  Ps.  90.  12  and  Hag.  1.  7,  9. 
I  was  tender  of  them  and  often  pray'd  unto  God,  that  they  might  bee  return'd.) 
On  the  fifth  of  October  following,  every  Leaf  of  my  Notes  again  came  into  my 
Hands,  tho'  they  were  in  eighteen  separate  Quarters  of  Sheets.  They  were 
found  drop't  here  and  there,  about  the  Streets  of  Lyn;  but  how  they  came  to 
bee  so  drop't  I  cannot  imagine;  and  I  as  much  wonder  at  the  Exactness  of  their 
Preservation." 

And  under  October  10th  he  adds:  "On  this  Day,  I  also  visited  a  possessed 
young  Woman  in  the  Neighbourhood,  whose  Distresses  were  not  the  least  occa- 
sion of  my  being  thus  before  the  Lord.  I  wrestled  with  God  for  her :  and  among 
other  things,  I  pleaded,  that  God  had  made  it  my  Office  and  Business  to  engage 
my  Neighbours  in  the  Service  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  and  that  this  young 
Woman  had  expressed  her  Compliance  with  my  Invitations  unto  that  Service; 
only  that  the  evil  Spirits  now  hindred  her  from  doing  what  shee  had  vowd :  and 
therefore  that  I  had  a  sort  of  Right  to  demand  her  Deliverance  from  these  in- 
vading Divels,  and  to  demand  such  a  Liberty  for  her  as  might  make  her  capable 
of  glorifying  my  Glorious  Lord;  which  I  did  accordingly.  In  the  close  of  this 
Day,  a  wonderful  Spirit,  in  White  and  bright  Raiment,  with  a  Face  unseen, 
appeared  unto  this  young  woman,  and  bid  her  count  mee  her  Father,  and  re- 


326         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

believe?  A.  Yes.  Q.  Do  you  believe  in  you  know  who?  A.  Yes. 
Q.  Would  you  have  other  people  do  so  too,  to  believe  in  you  know 
who?  A.  Yes.  Q.  Who  is  it  that  Afflicts  you?  A.  I  know  not, 
there  is  a  great  many  of  them  (about  this  time  the  Father  question'd 
if  she  knew  the  Spectres?  An  attendant  said,  if  she  did  she  would 
not  tell;  The  Son  proceeded)  Q.  You  have  seen  the  Black-man, 
hant1  you?  A.  No.  Reply,  I  hope  you  never  shall.  Q.  You  have 
had  a  Book  offered  you,  hant  you?  A.  No.  Q.  The  brushing  of 
you  gives  you  ease,  don't  it?  A.  Yes.  She  turn'd  her  selfe  and  a 
little  Groan'd.  Q.  Now  the  Witches  Scratch  you  and  Pinch  you, 
and  Bite  you,  don't  they?  A.  Yes.  Then  he  put  his  hand  upon 
her  Breast  and  Belly,  viz.  on  the  Cloaths  over  her,  and  felt  a  Living 
thing,  as  he  said,  which  moved  the  Father  also  to  feel,  and  some 
others;  Q.  Don't  you  feel  the  Live  thing  in  the  Bed?  A.  No. 
Reply,  that  is  only  Fancie.  Q.  the  great  company  of  People  increase 
your  Torment,  don't  they?  A.  Yes.  The  People  about  were  de- 
sired to  withdraw.  One  Woman  said,  I  am  sure  I  am  no  Witch,  I 
will  not  go;  so  others,  so  none  withdrew.  Q.  Shall  we  go  to  Prayers? 
Then  she  lay  in  a  Fit  as  before.  But  this  time  to  revive  her,  they 
waved  a  Hat  and  brushed  her  Head  and  Pillow  therewith.  Q.  Shall 
we  go  to  Pray,  etc.  Spelling  the  Word.  A.  Yes.  The  Father  went 

gard  mee  and  obey  mee,  as  her  Father;  for  hee  said,  the  Lord  had  given  her  to  mee; 
and  she  should  now  within  a  few  Dayes  bee  delivered.  It  proved,  accordingly." 

And  again  in  December  (p.  178):  "And  one  memorable  Providence,  I  must 
not  forgett.  A  young  Woman  being  arrested,  possessed,  afflicted  by  evil  Angels, 
her  Tormentors  made  my  Image  or  Picture  to  appear  before  her,  and  then  made 
themselves  Masters  of  her  Tongue  so  far,  that  she  began  in  her  Fits  to  complain 
that  I  threatened  her  and  molested  her,  tho'  when  shee  came  out  of  them,  shee 
own'd,  that  they  could  not  so  much  as  make  my  dead  Shape  do  her  any  Harm, 
and  that  they  putt  a  Force  upon  her  Tongue  in  her  Exclamations.  Her  greatest 
Out-cries  when  shee  was  herself,  were,  for  my  poor  Prayers  to  be  concerned  on 
her  behalf. 

"Being  hereupon  extremely  sensible,  how  much  a  malicious  Town  and  Land 
would  insult  over  mee,  if  such  a  lying  Piece  of  a  Story  should  fly  abroad,  that 
the  Divels  in  my  Shape  tormented  the  Neighbourhood,  I  was  putt  upon  some 
Agonies,  and  singular  Salleys  and  Efforts  of  Soul,  in  the  Resignation  of  my 
Name  unto  the  Lord;  content  that  if  Hee  had  no  further  service  for  my  Name, 
it  should  bee  torn  to  pieces  with  all  the  Reproches  in  the  world.  But  I  cried 
unto  the  Lord  as  for  the  Deliverance  of  my  Name,  from  the  Malice  of  Hell,  so 
for  the  Deliverance  of  the  young  Woman,  whom  the  Powers  of  Hell  had  no-.v 
seized  upon.  And  behold!  Without  any  further  Noise,  the  possessed  Person, 
upon  my  praying  by  her,  was  delivered  from  her  Captivity,  on  the  very  same 
Day  that  shee  fell  into  it;  and  the  whole  Plott  of  the  Divel,  to  reproach  a  poor 
Servant  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  was  defeated." 

1  Haven't,  hain't. 


1693]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  327 

to  Prayer  for  perhaps  half  an  Hour,  chiefly  against  the  Power  of  the 
Devil  and  Witchcraft,  and  that  God  would  bring  out  the  Afflicters : 
during  Prayer-time,  the  Son  stood  by,  and  when  they  thought  she 
was  in  a  Fit,  rub'd  her  and  brush'd  her  as  before,  and  beckned  to 
others  to  do  the  like;  after  Prayer  he  proceeded;  Q.  You  did  not 
hear  when  we  were  at  Prayer,  did  you?  A.  Yes.  Q.  You  dont  hear 
always,  you  dont  hear  sometimes  past  a  Word  or  two,  do  you? 
A.  No.  Then  turning  him  about  said,  this  is  just  another  Mercy 
Short:  Margaret  Perd  reply'd,  she  was  not  like  her  in  her  Fits. 
Q.  What  does  she  eat  or  drink?  A.  Not  eat  at  all;  but  drink  Rum. 
Then  he  admonished  the  young  People  to  take  warning,  etc.  Saying 
it  was  a  sad  thing  to  be  so  Tormented  by  the  Devil  and  his  Instru- 
ments: A  Young-man  present  in  the  habit  of  a  Seaman,  reply'd 
this  is  the  Devil  all  over.  Than1  the  Ministers  withdrew.  Soon  after 
they  were  gon  the  Afflicted  desired  the  Women  to  be  gone,  saying, 
that  the  Company  of  the  Men  was  not  offensive  to  her,  and  having 
hold  of  the  hand  of  a  Young-man,  said  to  have  been  her  Sweet-heart 
formerly,  who  was  withdrawing;  She  pull'd  him  again  into  his -Seat, 
saying  he  should  not  go  to  Night. 

September  the  19th,  1693. 

This  Night  I  renew'd  my  Visit,  and  found  her  rather  of  a  fresher 
Countenance  than  before,  about  eight  Persons  present  with  her,  she 
was  in  a  Fit  Screeming  and  making  a  Noise :  Three  or  four  Persons 
rub'd  and  brush'd  her  with  their  hands,  they  said  that  the  brushing 
did  put  them  away,  if  they  brush'd  or  rub'd  in  the  right  place;  there- 
fore they  brush'd  and  rub'd  in  several  places,  and  said  that  when  they 
did  it  in  the  right  place  she  could  fetch  her  Breath,  and  by  that  they 
knew.  She  being  come  to  her  self  was  soon  in  a  merry  talking  Fit. 
A  Young-man  came  in  and  ask'd  her  how  she  did?  She  answered 
very  bad,  but  at  present  a  little  better;  he  soon  told  her  he  must  be 
gon  and  bid  her  good  Night,  at  which  she  seem'd  troubled,  saying, 
that  she  liked  his  Company,  and  said  she  would  not  have  him  go  till 
she  was  well;  adding,  for  I  shall  Die  when  you  are  gon.  Then  she 
complained  they  did  not  put  her  on  a  clean  Cap,  but  let  her  ly  so 
like  a  Beast,  saying,  she  should  lose  her  Fellows.  She  said  she  won- 
dered any  People  should  be  so  Wicked  as  to  think  she  was  not  Afflicted, 
but  to  think  she  Dissembled.  A  Young-woman  answered  Yes,  if 
they  were  to  see  you  in  this  merry  Fit,  they  would  say  you  Dissem- 
bled indeed;  She  reply'd,  Mr.  M said  this  was  her  laughing  time, 

she  must  laugh  now:    She  said  Mr.  M had  been  there  this 

Evening,  and  she  enquired,  how  long  he  had  been  gon?    She  said, 

1  Then. 


328         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

he  stay'd  alone  with  her  in  the  room  half  an  Hour,  and  said  that  he 
told  her  there  were  some  that  came  for  Spies,  and  to  report  about 
Town  that  she  was  not  Afflicted.  That  during  the  said  time  she  had 
no  Fit,  that  he  asked  her  if  she  knew  how  many  times  he  had  Prayed 
for  her  to  Day?  And  that  she  answered  that  she  could  not  tell; 
and  that  he  replyed  he  had  Prayed  for  her  Nine  times  to  Day;  the 
Attendants  said  that  she  was  sometimes  in  a  Fit  that  none  could 
open  her  Joynts,  and  that  there  came  an  Old  Iron-jaw'd  Woman  and 
try'd,  but  could  not  do  it;  they  likewise  said,  that  her  Head  could 
not  be  moved  from  the  Pillow;  I  try'd  to  move  her  head,  and  found 
no  more  difficulty  than  another  Bodies  (and  so  did  others)  but  was 
not  willing  to  offend  by  lifting  it  up,  one  being  reproved  for  endeavour- 
ing it,  they  saying  angrily  you  will  break  her  Neck;  The  Attend- 
ants said  Mr.  M would  not  go  to  Prayer  with  her  when  People 

were  in  the  Room,  as  they  did  one  Night,  that  Night  he  felt  the 
Live  Creature.  Margaret  Perd  and  another  said  they  smelt  Brim- 
stone; I  and  others  said  we  did  not  smell  any;  then  they  said  they 
did  not  know  what  it  was:  This  Margaret  said,  she  wishd  she  had 

been  here  when  Mr.  M was  here,  another  Attendant  said,  if  you 

had  been  here  you  might  not  have  been  permitted  in,  for  her  own 
Mother  was  not  suffered  to  be  present. 

Sir,  after  the  sorest  Affliction  and  greatest  blemish  to 
Religion  that  ever  befel  this  Countrey,  and  after  most  Men 
began  to  Fear  that  some  undue  steps  had  been  taken,  and 
after  His  Excellency  (with  their  Majesties  Approbation1  as 
is  said)  had  put  a  stop  to  Executions,  and  Men  began  to  hope 
there  would  never  be  a  return  of  the  like;  finding  these  Ac- 
counts to  contain  in  them  something  extraordinary,  I  writ 
them  down  the  same  Nights  in  order  to  attain  the  certainty  of 
them,  and  soon  found  them  so  confirmed  that  I  have  (besides 
other  Demonstrations)  the  whole,  under  the  Hands  of  two 
Persons  are  ready  to  attest  the  Truth  of  it;  but  not  satisfied 
herewith,  I  shewed  them  to  some  of  your  particular  Friends, 

1  The  answer  to  Governor  Phips's  letter  of  October  12  (see  pp.  196-198, 
above)  was  indeed  a  royal  order  of  January  26  "approving  his  action  in  stopping 
the  proceedings  against  the  witches  in  New  England,  and  directing  that  in  all 
future  proceedings  against  persons  accused  of  witchcraft  or  of  possession  by  the 
devil,  all  circumspection  be  used  so  far  as  may  be  without  impediment  to  the 
ordinary  course  of  justice" — what  Frederick  the  Great  would  have  called  "a 
vague  answer — in  the  Austrian  style — that  should  mean  nothing."  It  of  course 
did  not  reach  America  till  after  the  despatch  of  Sir  William's  letter  of  February 
21  (pp.  198-202,  above). 


1693]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  329 

that  so  I  might  have  the  greater  certainty:  But  was  much 
surprized  with  the  Message  you  sent  me,  that  I  should  be 
Arrested  for  Slander,  and  at  your  calling  me  one  of  the  worst 
of  Lyars,  making  it  Pulpit  news  with  the  Name  of  Pernicious 
Libels,  etc.  This  occasion'd  my  first  Letter. 

September  the  29th,  1693. 
Reverend  Sir, 

I  having  written  from  the  Mouths  of  several  Persons,  who  affirm 
they  were  present  with  Margaret  Rule,  the  13th  Instant,  her  Answers 
and  Behaviours,  etc.  And  having  shewed  it  to  several  of  my  Friends, 
as  also  yours,  and  understanding  you  are  offended  at  it;  This  is  to 
acquaint  you,  that  if  you  and  any  one  particular  Friend,  will  please 
to  meet  me  and  some  other  Indifferent  Person  with  me,  at  Mr.  Wil- 
kins,  or  at  Ben.  Harris's,1  you  intimating  the  time,  I  shall  be  ready 
there  to  read  it  to  you,  as  also  a  further  Account  of  proceedings  the 
19th  Instant,  which  may  be  needful  to  prevent  Groundless  prejudices, 
and  let  deserved  blame  be  cast  where  it  ought;  From, 

Sir,  yours  in  what  I  may,  ^    ~ 

I  ix.  u. 

I 

The  effects  of  which,  Sir,  (not  to  mention  that  long  Letter 
only  once  read  to  me)  was,  you  sent  me  word  you  would  meet 
me  at  Mr.  Wilkins,  but  before  that  Answer,  at  yours  and  your 
Fathers  complaint,  I  was  brought  before  their  Majesties  Jus- 
tice, by  Warrant,  as  for  Scandalous  Libels  against  your  self, 
and  was  bound  over  to  Answer  at  Sessions;  I  do  not  remember 
you  then  objected  against  the  Truth  of  what  I  had  wrote,  but 
asserted  it  was  wronged  by  omissions,  which  if  it  were  so  was 
past  any  Power  of  mine  to  remedy,  having  given  a  faithful 
account  of  all  that  came  to  my  knowledge;  And  Sir,  that  you 
might  not  be  without  some  Cognisance  of  the  reasons  why  I 
took  so  much  pains  in  it,  as  also  for  my  own  Information,  if 
it  might  have  been,  I  wrote  to  you  my  second  Letter  to  this 
effect. 

November  the  24th,  1693. 
Reverend  Sir, 

Having  expected  some  Weeks,  your  meeting  me  at  Mr.  Wilkins  ac- 
cording to  what  you  intimated  to  Mr.  J.  M. 2  and  the  time  draw- 

1  The  two  Boston  booksellers'. 

2  It  is  perhaps  idle  to  guess  at  the  identity  of  this  gentleman;  but  his  initials 
suggest  the  Rev.  Joshua  Moodey,  whose  kindlier  attitude  toward  witches  and 


330         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

ing  near  for  our  meeting  elsewhere,  I  thought  it  not  amiss  to  give  you 
a  Summary  of  my  thoughts  in  the  great  concern,  which  as  you  say 
has  been  agitated  with  so  much  heat.  That  there  are  Witches  is  not 
the  doubt,  the  Scriptures  else  were  in  vain,  which  assign  their  Pun- 
ishment to  be  by  Death;  But  what  this  Witchcraft  is,  or  wherein  it 
does  consist,  seems  to  be  the  whole  difficulty:  And  as  it  may  be 
easily  demonstrated,  that  all  that  bear  that  Name  cannot  be  justly 
so  accounted,  so  that  some  things  and  Actions  not  so  esteemed  by  the 
most,  yet  upon  due  examination  will  be  found  to  merit  no  better 
Character. 

In  your  late  Book  you  lay  down  a  brief  Synopsis  of  what  has 
been  written  on  that  Subject,  by  a  Triumvirate  of  as  Eminent  Men 
as  ever  handled  it  (as  you  are  pleas'd  to  call  them)  Viz.  Mr.  Perkins,1 
Gaule,2  and  Bernard3  consisting  of  about  30  Tokens  to  know  them 
by,  many  of  them  distinct  from,  if  not  thwarting  each  other :  Among 
all  of  which  I  can  find  but  one  decisive,  Viz.  That  of  Mr.  Gaule, 
Head  IV.  and  runs  thus;  Among  the  most  unhappy  Circumstances 
to  convict  a  Witch,  one  is  a  maligning  and  oppugning  the  Word,  Work, 
or  Worship  of  God,  and  by  any  extraordinary  Sign  seeking  to  seduce 
any  from  it,  see  Deu.  13. 1,  2.  Mat.  24.  24.  Acts.  13.  8, 10.  2  Tim. 
3.  8.  Do  but  mark  well  the  places,  and  for  this  very  property  of 
thus  opposing  and  perverting,  they  are  all  there  concluded  Arrant 
and  absolute  Witches.4 

This  Head  as  here  laid  down  and  inserted  by  you,  either  is  a 
Truth  or  not;  if  not,  why  is  it  here  inserted  from  one  of  the  Trium- 
virate, if  it  be  a  Truth,  as  the  Scriptures  quoted  will  abundantly  tes- 
tifie,  whence  is  it  that  it  is  so  little  regarded,  tho  it  be  the  only  Head 
well  proved  by  Scripture,  or  that  the  rest  of  the  Triumvirate  should 
so  far  forget  their  Work  as  not  to  mention  it.  It  were  to  be  unjust 
to  the  Memory  of  those  otherwise  Wise  Men,  to  suppose  them  to 
have  any  Sinister  design;  But  perhaps  the  force  of  a  prevailing 
opinion,  together  with  an  Education  thereto  Suited,  might  over- 

their  defenders  may  be  inferred  from  his  course  in  the  case  of  Philip  English 
(see  pp.  187-188,  note),  and  who,  though  early  in  1693  he  returned  to  Ports- 
mouth, was  still  often  in  Boston.  Nor  may  it  be  forgotten  that  the  initials  of 
the  Rev.  Increase  Mather  are  by  the  printer  constantly  made  "J.  M." 

1  See  above,  p.  304,  note  3. 

1  See  above,  p.  216,  note  1,  and  p.  219. 

3  See  above,  p.  304,  note  5. 

4  To  the  end  of  the  paragraph  the  words  are  Gaule's.     Calef  is  quoting 
them,  not  from  Gaule's  book,  but  from  Mather's  Wonders;   for  Gaule  numbers 
this  rule,  not  IV.,  but  X.,  and  the  introductory  words  ("Among  the  most  un- 
happy Circumstances  to  convict  a  witch,  one  is")  are  not  his,  but  Mather's — 
and  there  are  other  slight  departures  from  Gaule's  wording. 


1693]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  331 

shadow  their  Judgments,  as  being  wont  to  be  but  too  prevalent  in 
many  other  cases.  But  if  the  above  be  Truth,  then  the  Scripture  is 
full  and  plain,  What  is  Witchcraft?  And  if  so,  what  need  of  his  next 
Head  of  Hanging  of  People  without  as  full  and  clear  Evidence  as  in 
other  Cases?  Or  what  need  of  the  rest  of  the  Receipts  of  the  Trium- 
virate? what  need  of  Praying  that  the  Afflicted  may  be  able  to  dis- 
cover who  tis  that  Afflicts  them?  or  what  need  of  Searching  for  Tet's 
for  the  Devil  to  Suck  in  his  Old  Age,  or  the  Experiment  of  saying  the 
Lords  Prayer,  etc.  Which1  a  multitude  more  practised  in  some 
places  Superstitiously  inclin'd.  Other  Actions  have  been  practised 
for  easing  the  Afflicted,  less  justifiable,  if  not  strongly  savouring  of 
Witchcraft  it  self,  viz.  Fondly  Imagining  by  the  Hand,  etc.,  to  drive 
off  Spectres,  or  to  knock  off  Invisible  Chains,  or  by  striking  in  the 
Air  to  WTound  either  the  Afflicted  or  others,  etc.  I  write  not  this  to 
accuse  any,  but  that  all  may  beware  believing,  That  the  Devil's 
bounds  are  set,  which  he  cannot  pass,  That  the  Devils  are  so  full  of 
Malice,  That  it  cant  be  added  to  by  Mankind,  That  where  he  hath 
Power,  he  neither  can  nor  will  omit  Executing  it,  That  'tis  only  the 
Almighty  that  sets  bounds  to  his  rage,  and  that  only  can  Commis- 
sionate  him  to  hurt  or  destroy  any. 

These  last,  Sir,  are  such  Foundations  of  Truth,  in  my  esteem, 
that  I  cannot  but  own  it  to  be  my  duty  to  ascert  them,  when  call'd 
tho'  with  the  hazard  of  my  All :  And  consequently  to  detect  such  as 
these,  That  a  Witch  can  Commissionate  Devils  to  Afflict  Mortals, 
That  he  can  at  his  or  the  Witches  pleasure  Assume  any  Shape,  That 
Hanging  or  Chaining  of  Witches  can  lessen  his  Power  of  Afflicting, 
or  restore  those  that  were  at  a  distance  Tormented,  with  many  others 
depending  on  these;  all  tending,  in  my  esteem,  highly  to  the  Dis- 
honour of  God,  and  the  Indangering  the  well-being  of  a  People,  and 
do  further  add,  that  as  the  Scriptures  are  full  that  there  is  Witch- 
craft, (ut  sup.)  so  'tis  as  plain  that  there  are  Possessions,  and  that 
the  Bodies  of  the  Possest  have  hence  been  not  only  Afflicted,  but 
strangely  agitated,  if  not  their  Tongues  improved  to  foretell  futuri- 
ties, etc.  and  why  not  to  accuse  the  Innocent,  as  bewitching  them; 
having  pretence  to  Divination  to  gain  credence.  This  being  reason- 
able to  be  expected,  from  him  who  is  the  Father  of  Lies,  to  the  end 
he  may  thereby  involve  a  Countrey  in  Blood,  Mallice,  and  Evil,  sur- 
mising which  he  greedily  seeks  after,  and  so  finally  lead  them  from 
their  fear  and  dependence  upon  God  to  fear  him,  and  a  supposed 
\Vitch  thereby  attaining  his  end  upon  Mankind;  and  not  only  so, 
but  Natural  Distemper,  as  has  been  frequently  observed  by  the 
Judicious,  have  so  operated  as  to  deceive,  more  than  the  Vulgar,  as 

'With. 


332        NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES        [1693 

is  testified  by  many  Famous  Physicians,  and  others.  And  as  for 
that  proof  of  Multitudes  of  Confessions,  this  Countrey  may  be  by 
this  time  thought  Competent  Judges,  what  credence  we  ought  to 
give  them,  having  had  such  numerous  Instances,  as  also  how  obtain'd. 
And  now  Sir,  if  herein  be  any  thing  in  your  esteem  valuable, 
let  me  intreat  you,  not  to  account  it  the  worse  for  coming  from  so 
mean  a  hand;  which  however  you  may  have  receiv'd  Prejudices,  etc., 
Am  ready  to  serve  you  to  my  Power;  but  if  you  Judge  otherwise 
hereof,  you  may  take  your  own  Methods  for  my  better  Information. 
Who  am,  Sir,  yours  to  command,  in  what  I  may;  R.  C.1 

In  Answer  to  this  last,  Sir,  you  replyed  to  the  Gentleman 
that  presented  it,  that  you  had  nothing  to  Prosecute  against 
me;  and  said  as  to  your  Sentiments  in  your  Books,  you  did  not 
bind  any  to  believe  them,  and  then  again  renew'd  your  promise 
of  meeting  me,  as  before,  tho'  not  yet  performed.  Accordingly, 
tho'  I  waited  at  Sessions,  there  was  none  to  object  ought 
against  me,  upon  which  I  was  dismissed.  This  gave  me  some 
reason  to  believe  that  you  intended  all  should  have  been  for- 
gotten; But  instead  of  that,  I  find  the  Coals  are  fresh  blown 
up,  I  being  supposed  to  be  represented,  in  a  late  Manuscript, 
More  Wonders  of  the,  etc.,  as  Traversing2  your  Discourse  in 
your  Faithful  discharge  of  your  Duty,  etc.  And  such  as  see 
not  with  the  Authors  Eyes,  rendred  Sadducees  and  Witlins,3 
etc.,  and  the  Arguments  that  square  not  with  the  Sentiments 
therein  contain'd,  Buffoonary;  rarely  no  doubt,  agreeing  with 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  his  dealings  with  an  unbelieving 
Thomas,  yet  whose  infidelity  was  without  compare  less  ex- 
cusable, but  the  Author  having  resolved  long  since,  to  have 
no  more  than  one  single  Grain  of  Patience,  with  them  that 
deny,4  etc.,  the  Wonder  is  the  less.  It  must  needs  be  that 
offences  come,  but  wo  to  him  by  whom  they  come.  To  vin- 
dicate my  self  therefore  from  such  false  Imputations,  of  Satan- 
like  insinuations,  and  misrepresenting  your  Actions,  etc.,  and 
to  vindicate  your  self,  Sir,  as  much  as  is  in  my  Power  from 
those  Suggestions,  said  to  be  Insinuated,  as  if  you  wore  not 
the  Modesty  and  Gravity,  that  becomes  a  Minister  of  the 
Gospel ;  which  it  seems,  some  that  never  saw  the  said  Narra- 

1  By  a  misprint  the  original  has  "P.  C." 

1  Travestying.     See  p.  323,  above. 

1  See  p.  318,  above.  « See  p.  123,  above. 


1694]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  333 

lives,  report  them  to  contain;  I  say,  Sir,  for  these  reasons,  I 
here  present  you  with  the  first  Coppy  that  ever  was  taken, 
etc.  And  purpose  for  a  Weeks  time  to  be  ready,  if  you  shall 
intimate  your  pleasure,  to  wait  upon  you,  either  at  the  place 
formerly  appointed,  or  any  other  that  is  indifferent  to  the  End; 
that  if  there  shall  appear  any  defects  in  that  Narrative,  they 
may  be  amended. 

Thus,  Sir,  I  have  given  you  a  genuine  account  of  my  Senti- 
ments and  Actions  in  this  Affair;  and  do  request  and  pray, 
that  if  I  err,  I  may  be  shewed  it  from  Scripture,  or  sound 
Reason,  and  not  by  quotations  out  of  Virgil,  nor  Spanish 
Rhetorick.  For  I  find  the  Witlings  mentioned,  are  so  far 
from  answering  your  profound  questions,  that  they  cannot 
so  much  as  pretend  to  shew  a  distinction  between  Witchcraft 
in  the  Common  notion  of  it,  and  Possession;  Nor  so  much  as 
to  demonstrate  that  ever  the  Jews  or  primitive  Christians  did 
believe,  that  a  Witch  could  send  a  Devil  to  Afflict  her  Neigh- 
bours; but  to  all  these,  Sir,  (ye  being  the  Salt  of  the  Earth, 
etc.)  I  have  reason  to  hope  for  a  Satisfactory  Answer  to  him, 
who  is  one  that  reverences  your  Person  and  Office;  And  am, 
Sir,  yours  to  Command  in  what  I  may, 

R.  C. 

BOSTON,  January  the  15th,  169f . 
Mr.  R.  C. 

Whereas  you  intimate  your  desires,  that  what's  not  fairly, 
(I  take  it  for  granted  you  mean  truly  also,)  represented  in  a 
Paper  you  lately  sent  me,  containing  a  pretended  Narrative 
of  a  Visit  by  my  Father  and  self  to  an  Afflicted  Young  woman, 
whom  we  apprehended  to  be  under  a  Diabolical  Possession, 
might  be  rectified :  I  have  this  to  say,  as  I  have  often  already 
said,  that  I  do  scarcely  find  any  one  thing  in  the  whole  Paper, 
whether  respecting  my  Father  or  self,  either  fairly  or  truly 
represented.  Nor  can  I  think  that  any  that  know  my  Parents 
Circumstances,  but  must  think  him  deserving  a  better  Char- 
acter by  far,  than  this  Narrative  can  be  thought  to  give  him. 
When  the  main  design  we  managed  in  Visiting  the  poor 
Afflicted  Creature,  was  to  prevent  the  Accusations  of  the 
Neighbourhood,  can  it  be  fairly  represented  that  our  design 
was  to  draw  out  such  Accusations,  which  is  the  representation 


334         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1694 

of  the  Paper?  We  have  Testimonies  of  the  best  Witnesses  and 
in  Number  not  a  few,  That  when  we  asked  Rule  whether  she 
thought  she  knew  who  Tormented  her?  the  Question  was  but 
an  Introduction  to  the  Solemn  charges  which  we  then  largely 
gave,  that  she  should  rather  Dye  than  tell  the  Names  of  any 
whom  she  might  Imagine  that  she  knew.  Your  Informers  have 
reported  the  Question,  and  report  nothing  of  what  follows,  as 
essential  to  the  giving  of  that  Question:  And  can  this  be 
termed  a  piece  of  fairness?  Fair  it  cannot  be,  that  when  Min- 
isters Faithfully  and  Carefully  discharge  their  Duty  to  the 
Miserable  in  their  Flock,  little  bits,  scraps  and  shreds  of  their 
Discourses  should  be  tackt  together  to  make  them  contemtible, 
when  there  shall  be  no  notice  of  all  the  Necessary,  Seasonable, 
and  Profitable  things  that  occur'd,  in  those  Discourses;  And 
without  which,  the  occasion  of  the  lesser  Passages  cannot  be 
understood;  And  yet  I  am  furnished  with  abundant  Evi- 
dences, ready  to  be  Sworn,  that  will  possitively  prove  this  part 
of  unfairness,  by  the  above  mention'd  Narrative,  to  be  done 
both  to  my  Father  and  self.  Again,  it  seems  not  fair  or  reason- 
able that  I  should  be  expos'd,  for  which  your  self  (not  to  say 
some  others)  might  have  expos'd  me  for,  if  I  had  not  done,  Viz. 
for  discouraging  so  much  Company  from  flocking  about  the 
Possest  Maid,  and  yet,  as  I  perswade  my  self,  you  cannot  but 
think  it  to  be  good  advice,  to  keep  much  Company  from  such 
haunted  Chambers;  besides  the  unfairness  doth  more  appear, 
in  that  I  find  nothing  repeated  of  what  I  said  about  the  ad- 
vantage, which  the  Devil  takes  from  too  much  Observation 
and  Curiosity. 

In  that  several  of  the  Questions  in  the  Paper  are  so  Worded, 
as  to  carry  in  them  a  presupposal  of  the  things  inquired  after, 
to  say  the  best  of  it  is  very  unfair :  But  this  is  not  all,  the  Nar- 
rative contains  a  number  of  Mistakes  and  Falshoods;  which 
were  they  willful  and  design'd,  might  justly  be  termed  gross 
Lies.  The  representations  are  far  from  true,  when  'tis  affirm'd 
my  Father  and  self  being  come  into  the  Room,  I  began  the 
Discourse;  I  hope  I  understand  breeding  a  little  better  than 
so:  For  proof  of  this,  did  occasion  serve,  sundry  can  depose 
the  contrary. 

'Tis  no  less  untrue,  that  either  my  Father  or  self  put  the 
Question,  how  many  Witches  sit  upon  you?  We  always 


1694]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  335 

cautiously  avoided  that  expression;  It  being  contrary  to  our 
inward  belief :  All  the  standers  by  will  (I  believe)  Swear  they 
did  not  hear  us  use  it  (your  Witnesses  excepted)  and  I  tremble 
to  think  how  hardy  those  woful  Creatures  must  be,  to  call  the 
Almighty  by  an  Oath,  to  so  false  a  thing.  As  false  a  repre- 
sentation 'tis,  that  I  rub'd  Rule's  Stomach,  her  Breast  not 
being  covered.  The  Oath  of  the  nearest  Spectators,  giving  a 
true  account  of  that  matter  will  prove  this<to  be  little  less  than 
a  gross  (if  not  a  doubled)  Lie;  and  to  be  somewhat  plainer,  it 
carries  the  Face  of  a  Lie  contrived  on  purpose  (by  them  at 
least,  to  whom  you  are  beholden  for  the  Narrative)  Wickedly 
and  Basely  to  expose  me.  For  you  cannot  but  know  how  much 
this  Representation  hath  contributed,  to  make  People  believe 
a  Smutty  thing  of  me;  I  am  far  from  thinking,  but  that  in 
your  own  Conscience  you  believe,  that  no  indecent  Action  of 
that  Nature  could  then  be  done  by  me  before  such  observers, 
had  I  been  so  Wicked  as  to  have  been  inclin'd  to  what  is  Base. 
It  looks  next  to  impossible  that  a  reparation  shoud  be  made 
me  for  the  wrong  done  to,  I  hope,  as  to  any  Scandal,  an  un- 
blemish'd,  tho'  weak  and  small  Servant  of  the  Church  of  God. 
Nor  is  what  follows  a  less  untruth,  that  'twas  an  Attendant 
and  not  my  self  who  said,  if  Rule  knows  who  Afflicts  her,  yet 
she  wont  tell.  I  therefore  spoke  it  that  I  might  incourage 
her  to  continue  in  that  concealment  of  all  Names  whatsoever; 
to  this  I  am  able  to  furnish  my  self  with  the  Attestation  of 
Sufficient  Oaths.  Tis  as  far  from  true,  that  my  apprehension 
of  the  Imp,  about  Rule,  was  on  her  Belly,  for  the  Oaths  of  the 
Spectators,  and  even  of  those  that  thought  they  felt  it,  can 
testify  that  'twas  upon  the  Pillow,  at  a  distance  from  her  Body. 
As  untrue  a  Representation  is  that  which  follows,  Viz.  That  it 
was  said  unto  her,  that  her  not  Apprehending  of  that  odd  pal- 
pable, tho'  not  visible,  Mover  was  from  her  Fancy,  for  I  en- 
deavoured to  perswade  her  that  it  might  be  but  Fancy  in 
others,  that  there  was  any  such  thing  at  all.  Witnesses  every 
way  sufficient  can  be  produced  for  this  also.  'Tis  falsely  repre- 
sented that  my  Father  felt  on  the  Young-woman  after  the  ap- 
pearance mentioned,  for  his  hand  was  never  near  her;  Oath 
can  sufficiently  vindicate  him.  'Tis  very  untrue  that  my 
Father  Prayed  for  perhaps  half  an  Hour,  against  the  power  of 
the  Devil  and  Witchcraft,  and  that  God  would  bring  out  the 


336         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1694 

Afflictors.  Witnesses  of  the  best  Credit,  can  depose,  that  his 
Prayer  was  not  a  quarter  of  an  Hour,  and  that  there  was  no 
more  than  about  one  clause  towards  the  close  of  the  Prayer, 
which  was  of  this  import;  And  this  clause  also  was  guarded 
with  a  singular  wariness  and  modesty,  Viz.  If  there  were  any 
evil  Instruments  in  this  matter  God  would  please  to  discover 
them :  And  that  there  was  more  than  common  reason  for  that 
Petition  I  can  satisfie  any  one  that  will  please  to  Inquire  of 
me.  And  strange  it  is,  that  a  Gentleman  that  from  18  to  54 
hath  been  an  Exemplary  Minister  of  the  Gospel;  and  that 
besides  a  station  in  the  Church  of  God,  as  considerable  as  any 
that  his  own  Country  can  afford,  hath  for  divers  years  come 
off  with  Honour,  in  his  Application  to  three  Crown 'd  Heads, 
and  the  chiefest  Nobility  of  three  Kingdoms,  Knows  not  yet 
how  to  make  one  short  Prayer  of  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  but  in 
New-England  he  must  be  Libell'd  for  it.  There  are  divers 
other  down-right  mistakes,  which  you  have  permitted  your 
self,  I  would  hope  not  knowingly,  and  with  a  Malicious  design, 
to  be  receiver  or  Compiler  of,  which  I  shall  now  forbear  to 
Animadvert  upon.  As  for  the  Appendix  of  the  Narrative  I 
do  find  myself  therein  Injuriously  treated,  for  the  utmost  of 
your  proof  for  what  you  say  of  me,  amounts  to  little  more  than, 
viz.  Some  People  told  you,  that  others  told  them,  that  such 
and  such  things  did  pass,  but  you  may  assure  yourself,  that 
I  am  not  unfurnish'd  with  Witnesses,  that  can  convict  the 
same.  Whereas  you  would  give  me  to  believe  the  bottom  of 
these  your  Methods,  to  be  some  dissatisfaction  about  the  com- 
monly receiv'd  Power  of  Devils  and  Witches;  I  do  not  only 
with  ah1  freedom  offer  you  the  use  of  any  part  of  my  Library, 
which  you  may  see  cause  to  peruse  on  that  Subject,  but  also 
if  you  and  any  else,  whom  you  please,  will  visit  me  at  my 
Study,  yea,  or  meet  me  at  any  other  place,  less  inconvenient 
than  those  by  you  propos'd;  I  will  with  all  the  fairness  and 
calmness  in  the  World  dispute  the  point.  I  beg  of  God  that 
he  would  bestow  as  many  Blessings  on  you,  as  ever  on  myself, 
and  out  of  a  sincere  wish,  that  you  may  be  made  yet  more 
capable  of  these  Blessings,  I  take  this  occasion  to  lay  before 
you  the  faults  (not  few  nor  small  ones  neither)  which  the 
Paper  contained,  you  lately  sent  me  in  order  to  be  Examined 
by  me.  In  case  you  want  a  true  and  full  Narrative  of  my 


1694]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  337 

Visit,  whereof  such  an  indecent  Traversty  (to  say  the  best) 
hath  been  made,  I  am  not  unwilling  to  communicate  it,  in 
mean  time  must  take  liberty  to  say,  JTis  scarcely  consistent 
with  Common  Civility,  much  less  Christian  Charity,  to  offer 
the  Narrative,  now  with  you,  for  a  true  one,  till  you  have  a 
truer,  or  for  a  full  one,  till  you  have  a  fuller.  Your  Sincere 
(tho  Injur'd)  Friend  and  Servant, 

C.  MATHER. 


The  Copy  of  a  Paper  Received  with  the  above  Letter. 

I  do  Testifie  that  I  have  seen  Margaret  Rule  in  her  Afflic- 
tions from  the  Invisible  World,  lifted  up  from  her  Bed,  wholly 
by  an  Invisible  force,  a  great  way  towards  the  top  of  the  Room 
where  she  lay;  in  her  being  so  lifted,  she  had  no  Assistance 
from  any  use  of  her  own  Arms  or  Hands,  or  any  other  part  of 
her  Body,  not  so  much  as  her  Heels  touching  her  Bed,  or  rest- 
ing on  any  support  whatsoever.  And  I  have  seen  her  thus 
lifted,  when  not  only  a  strong  Person  hath  thrown  his  whole 
weight  a  cross  her  to  pull  her  down ;  but  several  other  Persons 
have  endeavoured,  with  all  their  might,  to  hinder  her  from 
being  so  raised  up,  which  I  suppose  that  several  others  will 
testifie  as  well  as  my  self,  when  calTd  unto  it.  Witness  my 
Hand, 

SAMUEL  AVES. 

We  can  also  Testifie  to  the  substance  of  what  is  above 
Written,  and  have  several  times  seen  Margaret  Rule  so  lifted 
up  from  her  Bed,  as  that  she  had  no  use  of  her  own  Lims  to 
help  her  up,  but  it  was  the  declared  apprehension  of  us,  as 
well  as  others  that  saw  it,  impossible  for  any  hands,  but  some 
of  the  Invisible  World  to  lift  her. 

ROBERT  EARLE. 

Copia.  JOHN  WILKINS. 

DAN.  WILLIAMS. 

We  whose  Names  are  under-writted  do  testifie,  That  one 
Evening  when  we  were  in  the  Chamber  where  Margaret  Rule 
then  lay,  in  her  late  Affliction,  we  observed  her  to  be,  by  an 


338         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1694 

Invisible  Force,  lifted  up  from  the  Bed  whereon  she  lay,  so 
as  to  touch  the  Garret  Floor,  while  yet  neither  her  Feet,  nor 
any  other  part  of  her  Body  rested  either  on  the  Bed,  or  any 
other  support,  but  were  also  by  the  same  force,  lifted  up  from 
all  that  was  under  her,  and  all  this  for  a  considerable  while, 
we  judg'd  it  several  Minutes;  and  it  was  as  much  as  several 
of  us  could  do,  with  all  our  strength  to  pull  her  down.  All 
which  happened  when  there  was  not  only  we  two  in  the  Cham- 
ber, but  we  suppose  ten  or  a  dozen  more,  whose  Names  we 
have  forgotten, 

Copia.  THOMAS  THORNTON. 

William  Hudson  Testifies  to  the  substance  of  Thorntons 
Testimony,  to  which  he  also  hath  set  his  Hand. 

BOSTON,  Jan.  18,  1693.1 
Mr.  Cotton  Mather, 
Reverend  Sir, 

Yours  of  the  loth  Instant,  I  receiv'd  yesterday;  and  soon 
found  I  had  promised  my  self  too  much  by  it,  Viz,  Either  con- 
currence with,  or  a  denial  of  those  Fundamentals  mentioned 
in  mine,  of  Novem.  the  24th,  finding  this  waved  by  an  Invita- 
tion to  your  Library,  etc.  I  thank  God  I  have  the  Bible,  and 
do  Judge  that  sufficient  to  demonstrate  that  cited  Head  of 
Mr.  Gaule  to  be  a  Truth,  as  also  those  other  Heads  mentioned, 
as  the  Foundations  of  Religion.  And  in  my  apprehension,  if 
it  be  asked  any  Christian,  whether  God  governs  the  World, 
and  whether  it  be  he  only  can  Commissionate  Devils,  and  such 
other  Fundamentals,  He  ought  to  be  as  ready  as  in  the  Ques- 
tion, who  made  him?  (a  little  Writing  certainly  might  be  of 
more  use,  to  clear  up  the  controverted  points,  than  either 
looking  over  many  Books  in  a  well  furnish'd  Library,  or  than  a 
dispute,  if  I  were  qualified  for  it;  the  Inconveniencies  of  Pas- 
sion being  this  way  best  avoided)  And  am  not  without  hopes 
that  you  will  yet  oblige  me  so  far,  as  to  consider  that  Letter, 
and  if  I  Err,  to  let  me  see  it  by  Scripture,  etc. 

Yours,  almost  the  whole  of  it,  is  concerning  the  Narrative 
I  sent  to  you,  and  you  seem  to  intimate  as  if  I  were  giving 

1 1694  of  new  style. 


1694]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  330 

Characters,  Reflections,  and  Libell's,  etc.  concerning  your  self 
and  Relations;  all  which  were  as  far  from  my  thoughts,  as 
ever  they  were  in  writing  after  either  your  self,  or  any  other 
Minister.  In  the  front  you  declare  your  apprehension  to  be, 
that  the  Afflicted  was  under  a  Diabolical  Possession,  and  if  so, 
I  see  not  how  it  should  be  occasioned  by  any  Witchcraft  (unless 
we  ascribe  that  Power  to  a  Witch,  which  is  only  the  Preroga- 
tive of  the  Almighty,  of  Sending  or  Commissionating  the  Devils 
to  Afflict  her.)  But  to  your  particular  Objections  against  the 
Narrative;  and  to  the  first  my  intelligence  not  giving  me  any 
further,  I  could  not  insert  that  I  knew  not.  And  it  seems  im- 
probable that  a  Question  should  be  put,  whether  she  knew  (or 
rather  who  they  were)  and  at  the  same  time  to  charge  her, 
and  that  upon  her  Life,  not  to  tell,  and  if  you  had  done  so,  I 
see  but  little  good  you  could  promise  your  self  or  others  by  it, 
she  being  Possest,  as  also  having  it  inculcated  so  much  to  her 
of  Witchcraft.  And  as  to  the  next  Objection  about  company 
flocking,  etc.,  I  do  profess  my  Ignorance,  not  knowing  what 
you  mean  by  it.  And  Sir,  that  most  of  the  Questions  did  carry 
with  them  a  presupposing  the  things  inquired  after,  is  evident, 
if  there  were  such  as  those  relating  to  the  Black-man  and  a 
Book,  and  about  her  hearing  the  Prayer,  etc.  (related  in  the 
said  Narrative,  which  I  find  no  Objection  against.)  As  to 
that  which  is  said  of  mentioning  your  self  first  discoursing  and 
your  hopes  that  your  breeding  was  better  (I  doubt  it  not)  nor 
do  I  doubt  your  Father  might  first  apply  himself  to  others; 
but  my  intelligence  is,  that  you  first  spake  to  the  Afflicted  or 
Possessed,  for  which  you  had  the  advantage  of  a  nearer  ap- 
proach. The  next  two  Objections  are  founded  upon  mistakes: 
I  find  not  in  the  Narrative  any  such  Question,  as  how  many 
Witches  sit  upon  you?  and  that  her  Breast  was  not  covered,  in 
which  those  material  words  "with  the  Bed-Cloaths"  are  wholly 
omitted;  I  am  not  willing  to  retort  here  your  own  Language 
upon  you;  but  can  tell  you,  that  your  own  discourse  of  it 
publickly,  at  Sir  W.  P.'s1  Table,  has  much  more  contributed 
to,  etc.  As  to  the  Reply,  if  she  could  she  would  not  tell, 
whether  either  or  both  spake  it  it  matters  not  much.  Neither 
does  the  Narrative  say  you  felt  the  live  thing  on  her  Belly; 
tho  I  omit  now  to  say  what  further  demonstrations  there  are 

i  Sir  William  Phips's. 


340         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1694 

of  it.  As  to  that  Reply,  that  is  only  her  fancy,  I  find  the  word 
"her"  added.  And  as  to  your  Fathers  feeling  for  the  live 
Creature  after  you  had  felt  it,  if  it  were  on  the  Bed  it  was  not 
so  very  far  from  her.  And  for  the  length  of  his  Prayer,  pos- 
sibly your  Witnesses  might  keep  a  more  exact  account  of  the 
time  than  those  others,  and  I  stand  not  for  a  few  Minutes. 
For  the  rest  of  the  Objections  I  suppose  them  of  less  moment, 
if  less  can  be  (however  shall  be  ready  to  receive  them,  those 
matters  of  greatest  concern  I  find  no  Objections  against). 
These  being  all  that  yet  appear,  it  may  be  thought  that  if  the 
Narrative  be  not  fully  exact,  it  was  as  near  as  Memory  could 
bear  away;  but  should  be  glad  to  see  one  more  perfect  (which 
yet  is  not  to  be  expected,  seeing  none  writ  at  the  time).  You 
mention  the  appendix,  by  which  I  understand  the  Second  Visit, 
and  if  you  be  by  the  possessed  belyed  (as  being  half  an  hour 
with  her  alone,  excluding  her  own  Mother,  and  as  telling  her 
you  had  Prayed  for  her  Nine  times  that  day,  and  that  now 
was  her  Laughing  time,  she  must  Laugh  now)  I  can  see  no 
Wonder  in  it;  what  can  be  expected  less  from  the  Father  of 
Lies,  by  whom,  you  Judge,  she  was  possest. 

And  besides  the  above  Letter,  you  were  pleased  to  send  me 
another  Paper  containing  several  Testimonies  of  the  Possessed 
being  lifted  up,  and  held  a  space  of  several  Minutes  to  the 
Garret  floor,  etc.,  but  they  omit  giving  the  account,  whether 
after  she  was  down  they  bound  her  down :  or  kept  holding  her : 
And  relate  not  how  many  were  to  pull  her  down,  which  hinders 
the  knowledge  what  number  they  must  be  to  be  stronger  than 
an  Invisible  Force.  Upon  the  whole,  I  suppose  you  expect  I 
should  believe  it;  and  if  so,  the  only  advantage  gain'd,  is  that 
which  has  been  so  long  controverted  between  Protestants  and 
Papists,  whether  Miracles  are  ceast,  will  hereby  seem  to  be 
decided  for  the  latter;  it  being,  for  ought  I  can  see,  if  so,  as 
true  a  Miracle  as  for  Iron  to  swim,  and  that  the  Devil  can 
work  such  Miracles. 

But  Sir,  leaving  these  little  disputable  things,  I  do  again 
pray  that  you  would  let  me  have  the  happiness  of  your  appro- 
bation or  confutation  of  that  Letter  before  referred  to. 

And  now,  Sir,  that  the  God  of  all  Grace  may  enable  us 
Zealously  to  own  his  Truths,  and  to  follow  those  things  that 
tend  to  Peace,  and  that  yourself  may  be  as  an  useful  Instru- 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  341 

ment  in  his  hand,  effectually  to  ruin  the  remainders  of  Heathen- 
ish and  Popish  Superstitions,  is  the  earnest  desire  and  prayer 
of  yours  to  command,  in  what  I  may. 

R.  C.1 


PART  V. 

An  Impartial  Account  of  the  most  Memorable  Matters  of  Fact, 
touching  the  supposed  Witchcraft  in  New  England* 

Mr.  Parris  had  been  some  years  a  Minister  in  Salem- Vil- 
lage,3 when  this  sad  Calamity  (as  a  deluge)  overflowed  them, 
spreading  it  self  far  and  near:  He  was  a  Gentleman  of  Liberal 
Education,  and  not  meeting  with  any  great  Encouragement, 
or  Advantage  in  Merchandizing,  to  which  for  some  time  he 
apply'd  himself,  betook  himself  to  the  work  of  the  Ministry; 
this  Village  being  then  vacant,  he  met  with  so  much  Encour- 
agement, as  to  settle  in  that  Capacity  among  them. 

After  he  had  been  there  about  two  years,  he  obtained  a 
Grant  from  a  part  of  the  Town,  that  the  House  and  Land  he 
Occupied,  and  which  had  been  Alotted  by  the  whole  People 
to  the  Ministry,  should  be  and  remain  to  him,  etc.  as  his  own 
Estate  in  Fee  Simple.  This  occasioned  great  Divisions  both 
between  the  Inhabitants  themselves,  and  between  a  consider- 
able part  of  them  and  their  said  Minister,  which  Divisions  were 
but  as  a  beginning  or  Prseludium  to  what  immediately  followed. 

It  was  the  latter  end  of  February  169 1,4  when  divers 
young  Persons  belonging  to  Mr.  Parris's  Family,  and  one  or 

1  Between  this  letter  and  the  pages  of  Calef's  book  which  here  follow  there 
intervene  (1)  further  letters  from  him  to  Mather  and  to  other  Boston  ministers, 
on  whom  he  urges  his  views,  (2)  a  body  of  documents  relating  to  the  controversy 
between  the  Rev.  Mr.  Parris  and  his  disaffected  parishioners  at  Salem  Village 
between  the  period  of  the  witch-trials  and  his  removal,  (3)  an  epistolary  discus- 
sion as  to  the  theory  of  witchcraft  between  Calef  and  a  Scotsman  named  Stuart. 

2  /.  e.,  the  witchcraft  at  Salem  in  1692. 

3  As  to  Parris  and  Salem  Village,  and  in  general  as  to  the  Salem  witchcraft, 
which  is  the  subject  of  the  rest  of  Calef's  narrative,  see  the  introduction  and  notes 
to  Lawson's  Brief  Account  (pp.  147-164,  above).     That  account  (as  also  the 
parallel  narrative  of  Hale,  at  pp.  413  ff.,  below)  should  be  constantly  compared 
with  the  present  one. 

4 1692  of  our  calendar. 


342         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

more  of  the  Neighbourhood,  began  to  Act,  after  a  strange 
and  unusual  manner,  viz.  as  by  getting  into  Holes,  and  creep- 
ing tinder  Chairs  and  Stools,  and  to  use  sundry  odd  Postures 
and  Antick  Gestures,  uttering  foolish,  ridiculous  Speeches, 
which  neither  they  themselves  nor  any  others  could  make 
sense  of;  the  Physicians  that  were  called  could  assign  no 
reason  for  this;  but  it  seems  one  of  them,1  having  recourse  to 
the  old  shift,  told  them  he  was  afraid  they  were  Bewitched; 
upon  such  suggestions,  they  that  were  concerned  applied 
themselves  to  Fasting  and  Prayer,  which  was  attended  not 
only  in  their  own  private  Families,  but  with  calling  in  the 
help  of  others. 

March  the  llth.  Mr.  Parris  invited  several  Neighbouring 
Ministers  to  join  with  him  in  keeping  a  Solemn  day  of  Prayer 
at  his  own  House;  the  time  of  the  exercise  those  Persons  were 
for  the  most  part  silent,  but  after  any  one  Prayer  was  ended, 
they  would  Act  and  Speak  strangely  and  Ridiculously,  yet 
were  such  as  had  been  well  Educated  and  of  good  Behaviour, 
the  one,  a  Girl  of  11  or  12  years  old,2  would  sometimes  seem 
to  be  in  a  Convulsion  Fit,  her  Limbs  being  twisted  several 
ways,  and  very  stiff,  but  presently  her  Fit  would  be  over. 

A  few  days  before  this  Solemn  day  of  Prayer,  Mr.  Parris's 
Indian  Man  and  Woman3  made  a  Cake  of  Rye  Meal,  with 
the  Childrens  Water,  and  Baked  it  hi  the  Ashes,  and  as  is 
said,  gave  it  to  the  Dog;  this  was  done  as  a  means  to  Dis- 
cover Witchcraft  ;4  soon  after  which  those  ill  affected  or  afflicted 
Persons  named  several  that  they  said  they  saw,  when  in  their 
Fits,  afflicting  of  them. 

1  Doubtless  Dr.  William  Griggs,  of  Salem  Village,  whose  wife's  niece,  a 
maid  in  his  household,  was  one  of  the  "afflicted." 

1  Abigail  Williams,  Farm's  niece. 

*  West-Indian  slaves,  brought  back  with  him  from  Barbadoes. 

4  It  was  suggested  by  the  wife  of  a  neighbor.  When,  a  fortnight  later,  she 
was  disciplined  by  the  village  church  for  this  dabbling  in  superstition,  Parris 
himself  wrote  in  the  church-record  book:  "It  is  well  known  that  when  these 
Calamities  first  began,  which  was  in  my  own  Family,  the  Affliction  was  several 
weeks  before  such  hellish  Operations  as  Witchcraft  was  suspected;  Nay,  it  never 
broke  forth  to  any  considerable  Light,  until  diabolical  Means  was  used,  by  the 
making  of  a  cake  by  my  Indian  Man,  who  had  his  Directions  from  this  our  Sister 
Mary  Sibly;  since  which  Apparitions  have  been  plenty,  and  exceeding  much 
Mischief  hath  followed."  (Upham,  Salem  Witchcraft,  II.  95;  Hanson,  Danverg, 
p.  289,  quoted  by  Drake.) 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  343 

The  first  complain'd  of,  was  the  said  Indian  Woman, 
named  Tituba.  She  confessed  that  the  Devil  urged  her  to 
sign  a  Book,  which  he  presented  to  her,  and  also  to  work 
Mischief  to  the  Children,  etc.  She  was  afterwards  Committed 
to  Prison,  and  lay  there  till  Sold  for  her  Fees.1  The  account 
she  since  gives  of  it  is,  that  her  Master  did  beat  her  and  other- 
ways  abuse  her,  to  make  her  confess  and  accuse  (such  as  he 
call'd)  her  Sister- Witches,  and  that  whatsoever  she  said  by 
way  of  confessing  or  accusing  others,  was  the  effect  of  such 
usage;  her  Master  refused  to  pay  her  Fees,  unless  she  would 
stand  to  what  she  had  said.2 

The  Children  complained  likewise  of  two  other  Women, 
to  be  the  Authors  of  their  Hurt,  Viz.  Sarah  Good,  who  had  long  - 
been  counted  a  Melancholy  or  Distracted  Woman,  and  one 
Osburn,  an  Old  Bed-rid  Woman;  which  two  wereJPersons  so 
ill  thought  of,  that  the  accusation  was  the  more  readily  be- 
lieved; and  after  Examination  before  two  Salem  Magistrates,3 
were  committed: 

March  the  19th,  Mr.  Lawson  (who  had  been  formerly  a 
Preacher  at  the  said  Village)  came  thither,  and  hath  since  set 
fourth  in  Print  an  account  of  what  then  passed,  about  which 
time,  as  he  saith,  they  complained  of  Goodwife  Cory,  and 
Goodwife  Nurse,  Members  of  the  Churches  at  the  Village  and 
at  Salem,  many  others  being  by  that  time  Accused. 

March  the  2lst,  Goodwife  Cory  was  examined  before  the 
Magistrates  of  Salem,  at  the  Meeting  House  in  the  Village, 
a  throng  of  Spectators  being  present  to  see  the  Novelty.  Mr. 
Noyes,  one  of  the  Ministers  of  Salem,  began  with  Prayer, 
after  which  the  Prisoner  being  call'd,  in  order  to  answer  to 
what  should  be  Alledged  against  her,  she  desired  that  she  might 
go  to  Prayer,  and  was  answered  by  the  Magistrates,  that  they 
did  not  come  to  hear  her  pray,  but  to  examine  her. 
—  The  number  of  the  Afflicted  were  at  that  time  about  Ten, 

1  /.  e.,  to  meet  her  prison  expenses.     She  lay  there  for  a  year  and  a  month. 

1  Besides  the  documents  of  Tituba' s  case  printed  in  the  Records  of  Salem 
Witchcraft  (I.  41-50),  a  much  fuller  report  of  her  examination  (March  1-2,  1692) 
strangely  differing  from  that  already  printed,  is  appended  to  Drake's  edition  of 
Mather  and  Calef  (The  Witchcraft  Delusion  in  New  England,  III.  185-195). 

1  On  March  1,  before  John  Hathorne  and  Jonathan  Corwin.  From  this 
point  to  his  entry  of  April  3  Calef's  narrative  rests  wholly  on  that  of  Lawson.  ' 


344         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

Viz.  Mrs.  Pope,  Mrs.  Putman,  Goodwife  Bibber,  and  Good- 
wife  Goodall,  Mary  Wolcott,  Mercy  Lewes  (at  Thomas  Put- 
mans)  and  Dr.  Griggs  Maid,  and  three  Girls,  Viz.  Elizabeth 
Parris,  Daughter  to  the  Minister,  Abigail  Williams  his  Neice, 
and  Aim  Putman,  which  last  three  were  not  only  the  begin- 
ners, but  were  also  the  chief  in  these  Accusations.  These 
Ten  were  most  of  them  present  at  the  Examination,  and  did 
vehemently  accuse  her  of  Afflicting  them,  by  Biting,  Pinching, 
Strangling,  etc.  And  they  said,  they  did  in  their  Fits  see  her 
likeness  coming  to  them,  and  bringing  a  Book  for  them  to 
Sign ;  Mr.  Hathorn,  a  Magistrate  of  Salem,  asked  her,  why  she 
Afflicted  those  Children?  she  said,  she  did  not  Afflict  them; 
he  asked  her,  who  did  then?  she  said,  "  I  do  not  know,  how 
should  I  know?"  she  said,  they  were  Poor  Distracted  Creatures,' 
and  no  heed  to  be  given  to  what  they  said;  Mr.  Hathorn  and 
Mr.  Noyes  replied  that  it  was  the  Judgment  of  all  that  were 
there  present,  that  they  were  bewitched,  and  only  she  (the 
Accused)  said  they  were  Distracted:  She  was  Accused  by 
them,  that  the  Black  Man  Whispered  to  her  in  her  Ear  now 
(while  she  was  upon  Examination)  and  that  she  had  a  Yellow 
Bird,  that  did  use  to  Suck  between  her  Fingers,  and  that  the 
said  Bird  did  Suck  now  in  the  Assembly;  order  being  given 
to  look  in  that  place  to  see  if  there  were  any  sign,  the  Girl 
that  pretended  to  see  it  said,  that  it  was  too  late  now,  for  she 
had  removed  a  Pin,  and  put  it  on  her  Head,  it  was  upon 
search  found,  that  a  Pin  was  there  sticking  upright.  When 
the  Accused  had  any  motion  of  their  Body,  Hands  or  Mouth, 
the  Accusers  would  cry  out,  as  when  she  bit  her  Lip,  they 
would  cry  out  of  being  bitten,  if  she  grasped  one  hand  with 
the  other,  they  would  cry  out  of  being  Pinched  by  her,  and 
would  produce  marks,  so  of  the  other  motions  of  her  Body, 
as  complaining  of  being  Prest,  when  she  lean'd  to  the  seat 
next  her,  if  she  stirred  her  Feet,  they  would  stamp  and  cry 
out  of  Pain  there.  After  the  hearing  the  said  Cory  was  com- 
mitted to  Salem  Prison,  and  then  their  crying  out  of  her 
abated. 

March  the  24th,  Goodwife  Nurse  was  brought  before  Mr. 
Hathorn  and  Mr.  Curwin  (Magistrates)  in  the  Meeting  House. 
Mr.  Hale,  Minister  of  Beverly,  began  with  Prayer,  after  which 
she  being  Accus'd  of  much  the  same  Crimes  made  the  like  an- 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  345 

swers,  asserting  her  own  Innocence  with  earnestness.  The 
Accusers  were  mostly  the  same,  Tho.  Putmans  Wife,  etc.  com- 
plaining much.  The  dreadful  Shreiking  from  her  and  others, 
was  very  amazing,  which  was  heard  at  a  great  distance;  she 
was  also  Committed  to  Prison. 

A  Child  of  Sarah  Goods  was  likewise  apprehended,  being 
between  4  and  5  years  Old.  The  Accusers  said  this  Child  bit 
them,  and  would  shew  such  like  marks,  as  those  of  a  small 
Sett  of  Teeth  upon  their  Arms;  as  many  of  the  Afflicted  as  the 
Child  cast  its  Eye  upon,  would  complain  they  were  in  Tor- 
ment; which  Child  they  also  Committed. 

Concerning  these  that  had  been  hitherto  Examined  and 
Committed,  it  is  among  other  things  observed  by  Mr.  Lawson 
(in  Print1)  that  they  were  by  the  Accusers  charged  to  belong 
to  a  Company  that  did  muster  in  Arms,  and  were  reported 
by  them  to  keep  Days  of  Fast,  Thanksgiving  and  Sacraments; 
and  that  those  Afflicted  (or  Accusers)  did  in  the  Assembly 
Cure  each  others,  even  with  a  touch  of  their 'Hand,  when 
strangled  and  otherways  tortured,  and  would  endeavour  to 
get  to  the  Afflicted  to  relieve  them  thereby  (for  hitherto  they 
had  not  used  the  Experiment  of  bringing  the  Accused  to  touch 
the  Afflicted,  in  order  to  their  Cure)  and  could  foretel  one 
anothers  Fits  to  be  coming,  and  would  say,  look  to  such  a 
one,  she  will  have  a  Fit  presently  and  so  it  happened,  and  that 
at  the  same  time  when  the  Accused  person  was  present,  the 
Afflicted  said  they  saw  her  Spectre  or  likeness  in  other  places 
of  the  Meeting  House  Suckling2  of  their  Familiars. 

The  said  Mr.  Lawson  being  to  Preach  at  the  Village,  after 
the  Psalm  was  Sung,  Abigail  Williams  said,  "  Now  stand  up 
and  name  your  Text";  after  it  was  read,  she  said,  "It  is  a  long 
Text."  Mrs.  Pope  in  the  beginning  of  Sermon  said  to  him, 
"  Now  there  is  enough  of  that."  In  Sermon,  he  referring  to  his 
Doctrine,  Abigail  Williams  said  to  him,  "  I  know  no  Doctrine 
you  had,  if  you  did  name  one  I  have  forgot  it."  Ann  Put- 
man,  an  afflicted  Girl,  said,  There  was  a  Yellow  Bird  sate  on 
his  Hat  as  it  hung  on  the  Pin  in  the  Pulpit. 

March  31,  1692.  Was  set  apart  as  a  day  of  Solemn  Hu- 
miliation at  Salem,  upon  the  Account  of  this  Business,  on 
which  day  Abigail  Williams  said,  That  she  saw  a  great  number 

1  See  above,  pp.  162—164.  2  "Sucking"  in  original;  corrected  in  Errata. 


346         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

of  Persons  in  the  Village  at  the  Administration  of  a  Mock 
Sacrament,  where  they  had  Bread  as  read  as  raw  Flesh,  and 
red  Drink. 

April  1.  Mercy  Lewis  affirmed,  That  she  saw  a  man  in 
white,  with  whom  she  went  into  a  Glorious  Place,  viz.  In  her 
fits,  where  was  no  Light  of  the  Sun,  much  less  of  Candles, 
yet  was  full  of  Light  and  Brightness,  with  a  great  Multitude 
in  White  Glittering  Robes,  who  Sang  the  Song  in  5.  Rev.  9. 
and  the  110  and  149  Psalms;  And  was  grieved  that  she  might 
tarry  no  longer  in  this  place.  This  White  Man  is  said  to  have 
appeared  several  times  to  others  of  them,  and  to  have  given 
them  notice  how  long  it  should  be  before  they  should  have 
another  Fit. 

April  the  3d.  Being  Sacrament  Day  at  the  Village,  Sarah 
Cloys,  Sister  to  Goodwife  Nurse,  a  Member  to  one  of  the 
Churches,  was  (tho'  it  seems  with  difficulty  prevail'd  with 
to  be)  present;  but  being  entred  the  place,  and  Mr.  Parris 
naming  his  Text,  6  John,  70.  Have  not  I  chosen  you  Twelve, 
and  one  of  you  is  a  Devil  (for  what  cause  may  rest  as  a  doubt 
whether  upon  the  account  of  her  Sisters  being  Committed, 
or  because  of  the  choice  of  that  Text)  she  rose  up  and  went  out, 
the  wind  shutting  the  Door  forcibly,  gave  occasion  to  some 
to  suppose  she  went  out  in  Anger,  and  might  occasion  a  sus- 
picion of  her;  however  she  was  soon  after  complain 'd  of, 
examin'd  and  Committed. 

April  the  \\th.  By  this  time  the  number  of  the  Accused 
and  Accusers  being  much  encreased,  was  a  Publick  Examina- 
tion at  Salem,  Six  of  the  Magistrates  with  several  Ministers 
being  present;1  there  appeared  several  who  complain'd  against 
others  with  hidious  clamors  and  Screechings.  Goodwife  Proc- 
tor was  brought  thither,  being  Accused  or  cryed  out  against; 
her  Husband  coming  to  attend  and  assist  her,  as  there  might 

1  Among  them  was  Samuel  Sewall,  who  wrote  in  his  diary  for  that  day : 
"Went  to  Salem,  where,  in  the  Meeting-house,  the  persons  accused  of  Witch- 
craft were  examined;  was  a  very  great  Assembly;  'twas  awfull  to  see  how  the 
afflicted  persons  were  agitated.  Mr.  Noyes  pray'd  at  the  beginning,  and  Mr. 
Higginson  concluded."  In  the  margin  he  has  later  added:  "Vae,  Vae,  Vae, 
Witchcraft" — i.  e.,  "woe,  woe,  woe!"  So  many  (seven)  of  the  magistrates  were 
present  that  the  court  took  the  form  of  a  "council"  (the  highest  of  colonial  tri- 
bunals), under  the  presidency  of  Deputy-governor  Danforth  (Records  of  Salem 
Witchcraft,  I.  101;  Hutchiason,  Massachusetts,  second  ed.,  II.  27-30). 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  347 

be  need,  the  Accusers  cryed  out  of  him  also,  and  that  with 
so  much  earnestness,  that  he  was  Committed  with  his  Wife. 
About  this  time  besides  the  Experiment  of  the  Afflicted  fall- 
ing at  the  sight,  etc.,  they  put  the  Accused  upon  saying  the 
Lords  Prayer,  which  one  among  them  performed,  except  in 
that  petition,  Deliver  us  from  Evil,  she  exprest  it  thus,  Deliver 
us  from  all  Evil.  This  was  lookt  upon  as  if  she  Prayed  against 
what  she  was  now  justly  under,  and  being  put  upon  it  again, 
and  repeating  those  words,  Hallowed  be  thy  name,  she  exprest 
it,  Hollowed  be  thy  Name,  this  was  counted  a  depraving  the 
words,  as  signifying  to  make  void,  and  so  a  Curse  rather  then1 
a  Prayer,  upon  the  whole  it  was  concluded  that  she  also  could 
not  say  it,  etc.  Proceeding  in  this  work  of  examination  and 
Commitment,  many  were  sent  to  Prison.  As  an  Instance,  see 
the  following  Mittimus: 

To  their  Majesties  Goal-keeper 2  in  Salem. 

You  are  in  Their  Majesties  Names  hereby  required  to  take  into 
your  care,  and  safe  custody,  the  Bodies  of  William  Hobs,  and  Deb- 
orah3 his  Wife,  Mary  Easty,  the  Wife  of  Isaac  Easty,  and  Sarah 
Wild,  the  Wife  of  John  Wild,  all  of  Topsfield;  and  Edward  Bishop 
of  Salem-Village,  Husbandman,  and  Sarah  his  Wife,  and  Mary  Black, 
a  Negro  of  Lieutenant  Nathaniel  Putmans  of  Salem-Village;  also 
Mary  English  the  Wife  of  Philip  English,  Merchant  in  Salem;4  who 
stand  charged  with  High  Suspicion  of  Sundry  Acts  of  Witchcraft, 
done  or  committed  by  them  lately  upon  the  Bodies  of  Ann  Putman, 
Mercy  Lewis5  and  Abigail  Williams,  of  Salem-Village,  whereby  great 
Hurt  and  Damage  hath  been  done  to  the  Bodies  of  the  said  Persons, 
[as]  according  to  the  complaint  of  Thomas  Putman  and  John  Buxton 
of  Salem-Village,  Exhibited  Salem,  Apr  21,  1692,  appears,  whom  you 
are  to  secure  in  order  to  their  further  Examination.  Fail  not. 

JOHN  HATHORN, 

JONA.   CURWIN,  ' 

Dated  SALEM,  April  22,  1692. 

1 1.  e.,  than.    This  spelling  was  then  usual.    2  Jail-keeper.    3  Deliverance. 

4  Mary  Esty,  aged  56,  was  a  sister  of  Rebecca  Nurse  and  Sarah  Cloyse. 
We  shall  meet  her  again.  As  to  these  Topsfield  cases,  see  above,  p.  237,  note  1. 
Edward  Bishop,  aged  44,  was  probably  a  step-son  of  Bridget  Bishop  (see  above, 
pp.  223-229,  and  below,  p.  356),  and  his  wife  was  a  daughter  of  John  Wilds.  On 
Mary  Black,  see  Chandler,  American  Criminal  Trials,  I.  427,  and  Upham,  Salem 
Witchcraft,  II.  136-137.  As  for  Mary  English,  see  below,  p.  371, 

*  "Mary"  in  original;  corrected  in  Errata, 


348         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 


To  Marshal  George  Herrick  of  Salem  Essex. 

You  are  in  their  Majesties  Names  hereby  required  to  convey 
the  above-named  to  the  Goal  at  Salem.    Fail  not. 


JONA.   CURWIN,    J 

Dated  SALEM,  Apr  22,  1692. 

The  occasion  of  Bishops  being  cry'd  out  of1  was,  he  being 
at  an  Examination  in  Salem,  when  at  the  Inn  an  afflicted 
Indian2  was  very  unruly,  whom  he  undertook,  and  so  man- 
aged him,  that  he  was  very  orderly,  after  which  in  riding  home, 
in  company  of  him  and  other  Accusers,  the  Indian  fell  into  a 
fit,  and  clapping  hold  with  his  Teeth  on  the  back  of  the  Man 
that  rode  before  him,  thereby  held  himself  upon  the  Horse, 
but  said  Bishop  striking  him  with  his  stick,  the  Indian  soon 
recovered,  and  promised  he  would  do  so  no  more;  to  which 
Bishop  replied,  that  he  doubted  not,  but  he  could  cure  them 
all,  with  more  to  the  same  effect;  immediately  after  he  was 
parted  from  them,  he  was  cried  out  of,  etc. 

May  14,  1692.  Sir  William  Phips  arrived  with  Commis- 
sion from  Their  Majesties  to  be  Governour,  pursuant  to  the 
New-Charter;  which  he  now  brought  with  him;  the  Ancient 
Charter  having  been  vacated  by  King  Charles,  and  King 
James  (by  which  they  had  a  power  not  only  to  make  their 
own  Laws;  but  also  to  chuse  their  own  Governour  and  Officers;) 
and  the  Countrey  for  some  years  was  put  under  an  absolute 
Commission-Government,  till  the  Revolution,3  at  which  time 
tho  more  than  two  thirds  of  the  People  were  for  reassuming 
their  ancient  Government,  (to  which  they  had  encouragement 
by  His  then  Royal  Highness's  Proclamation)  yet  some  that 
might  have  been  better  imployed  (in  another  Station)4  made 
it  their  business  (by  printing,  as  well  as  speaking)  to  their 

1  I.e.,  cried  out  against,  accused. 

*  The  afflicted  Indian,  i.  e.,  Parris's  John:   it  is  clearly  a  misprint. 

*  /.  e.,  the  English  Revolution  and  the  overthrow  in  New  England  of  the 
Andros  government  (1689). 

4  He  doubtless  means  especially  Cotton  Mather.  So,  at  least,  Mather 
assumes  in  his  reply  (his  letter  in  Some  Few  Remarks,  etc.,  pp.  46-47)  and  vigor- 
ously denies  that  he  opposed  the  reassumption. 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  349 

utmost  to  divert  them  from  such  a  settlement;  and  so  far 
prevailed,  that  for  about  seven  Weeks  after  the  Revolution, 
here  was  not  so  much  as  a  face  of  any  Government;  but 
some  few  Men  upon  then1  own  Nomination  would  be  called 
a  Committee  of  Safety;  but  at  length  the  Assembly  prevailed 
with  those  that  had  been  of  the  Government,  to  promise  that 
they  would  reassume;  and  accordingly  a  Proclamation  was 
drawn,  but  before  publishing  it,  it  was  underwritten,  that 
they  would  not  have  it  understood  that  they  did  reassume 
Charter-Government;  so  that  between  Government  and  no 
Government,  this  Countrey  remained  till  Sir  William  arrived; 
Agents  being  in  this  time  impowered  in  England,  which  no 
doubt  did  not  all  of  them  act  according  to  the  Minds  or  In- 
terests of  those  that  impowered  them,  which  is  manifest  by 
their  not  acting  jointly  in  what  was  done;  so  that  this  place 
is  perhaps  a  single  Instance  (even  in  the  best  of  Reigns)  of  a 
Charter  not  restored  after  so  happy  a  Revolution. 

This  settlement  by  Sir  William  Phips  his  being  come  Gov- 
ernour  put  an  end  to  all  disputes  of  these  things,  and  being 
arrived,  and  having  read  his  Commission,  the  first  thing  he 
exerted  his  Power  in,  was  said  to  be  his  giving  Orders  that 
Irons  should  be  put  upon  those  in  Prison;  for  tho  for  some 
time  after  these  were  Committed,  the  Accusers  ceased  to  cry 
out  of  them;1  yet  now  the  cry  against  them  was  renewed, 
which  occasioned  such  Order;  and  tho  there  was  partiality 
in  the  executing  it  (some  having  taken  them  off2  almost  as 
soon  as  put  on)  yet  the  cry  of  these  Accusers  against  such 
ceased  after  this  Order.3 

May  24.  Mrs.  Gary  of  Charlestown,  was  Examined  and 
Committed.  Her  Husband  Mr.  Nathaniel  Gary4  has  given 
account  thereof,  as  also  of  her  Escape,  to  this  Effect, 

1  See  p.  348,  note  1. 

2  Doubtless  a  misprint  for  "having  them  taken  off." 

3  The  reason  for  the  irons  was  the  assertion  of  the  "afflicted"  that  their 
sufferings  did  not  cease  till  the  accused  were  thus  in  fetters.     An  account  of  the 
prison-keeper  (Hanson,  Danvers,  p.  290)  has  such  items  as:    "May  9th.  To 
Chains  for  Sarah  Good  and  Sarah  Osborn,  14s.    May  23d,  To  Shackles  for  10 
Prisoners.     May  29th,  to  1  pr.  Irons."     See  also  Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft, 
II.  212,  213.     Even  little  Dorcas  Good  was  put  into  chains. 

4  Captain  Nathaniel  Gary  was  a  shipmaster,  a  man  of  ability  and  promi- 
nence, later  a  member  of  the  General  Court  and  a  justice. 


350         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       (1692 

I  having  heard  some  days,  that  my  Wife  was  accused  of  Witch- 
craft, being  much  disturbed  at  it,  by  advice,  we  went  to  Salem- 
Village,  to  see  if  the  afflicted  did  know  her;  we  arrived  there,  24 
May,  it  happened  to  be  a  day  appointed  for  Examination;  accord- 
ingly soon  after  our  arrival,  Mr.  Hathorn  and  Mr.  Curwin,  etc.,  went 
to  the  Meeting-house,  which  was  the  place  appointed  for  that  Work, 
the  Minister  began  with  Prayer,  and  having  taken  care  to  get  a 
convenient  place,  I  observed,  that  the  afflicted  were  two  Girls  of 
about  Ten  Years  old,1  and  about  two  or  three  other,  of  about  eight- 
een, one  of  the  Girls  talked  most,  and  could  discern  more  than  the 
rest.  The  Prisoners  were  called  in  one  by  one,  and  as  they  came  in 
were  cried  out  of,  etc.  The  Prisoner  was  placed  about  7  or  8  foot 
from  the  Justices,  and  the  Accusers  between  the  Justices  and  them; 
the  Prisoner  was  ordered  to  stand  right  before  the  Justices,  with  an 
Officer  appointed  to  hold  each  hand,  least  they  should  therewith 
afflict  them,  and  the  Prisoners  Eyes  must  be  constantly  on  the  Jus- 
tices; for  if  they  look'd  on  the  afflicted,  they  would  either  fall  into 
their  Fits,  or  cry  out  of  being  hurt  by  them;  after  Examination  of 
the  Prisoners,  who  it  was  afflicted  these  Girls,  etc.,  they  were  put 
upon  saying  the  Lords  Prayer,  as  a  tryal  of  their  guilt;  after  the 
afflicted  seem'd  to  be  out  of  their  Fits,  they  would  look  steadfastly 
on  some  one  person,  and  frequently  not  speak;  and  then  the  Justices 
said  they  were  struck  dumb,  and  after  a  little  time  would  speak  again; 
then  the  Justices  said  to  the  Accusers,  "  which  of  you  will  go  and 
touch  the  Prisoner  at  the  Bar?"  then  the  most  couragious  would  ad- 
venture, but  before  they  had  made  three  steps  would  ordinarily  fall 
down  as  in  a  Fit;  the  Justices  ordered  that  they  should  be  taken  up 
and  carried  to  the  Prisoner,  that  she  might  touch  them;  and  as  soon 
as  they  were  touched  by  the  accused,  the  Justices  would  say,  they  are 
well,  before  I  could  discern  any  alteration;  by  which  I  observed  that 
the  Justices  understood  the  manner  of  it.  Thus  far  I  was  only  as 
a  Spectator,  my  Wife  also  was  there  part  of  the  time,  but  no  notice 
taken  of  her  by  the  afflicted,  except  once  or  twice  they  came  to  her 
and  asked  her  name. 

But  I  having  an  opportunity  to  Discourse2  Mr.  Hale3  (with 
whom  I  had  formerly  acquaintance)  I  took  his  advice,  what  I  had 
best  to  do,  and  desired  of  him  that  I  might  have  an  opportunity  to 
speak  with  her  that  accused  my  Wife;  which  he  promised  should  be, 
I  acquainting  him  that  I  reposed  my  trust  in  him. 

Accordingly  he  came  to  me  after  the  Examination  was  over, 
and  told  me  I  had  now  an  opportunity  to  speak  with  the  said  Accuser, 

1  Abigail  Williams  and  Ann  Putnam.  -  Talk  with. 

•  The  Rev.  John  Hale,  of  Beverly.  As  to  his  part  in  the  trials  see  below,  p.  369. 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  351 

viz.  Abigail  Williams,  a  Girl  of  11  or  12  Years  old;  but  that  we  could 
not  be  in  private  at  Mr.  Parris's  House,  as  he  had  promised  me;  we 
went  therefore  into  the  Alehouse,  where  an  Indian  Man  attended  us, 
who  it  seems  was  one  of  the  afflicted:  to  him  we  gave  some  Cyder, 
he  shewed  several  Scars,  that  seemed  as  if  they  had  been  long  there, 
and  shewed  them  as  done  by  Witchcraft,  and  acquainted  us  that  his 
Wife,  who  also  was  a  Slave,  was  imprison'd  for  Witchcraft.1  And 
now  instead  of  one  Accuser,  they  all  came  in,  who  began  to  tumble 
down  like  Swine,  and  then  three  Women  were  called  in  to  attend 
them.  We  in  the  Room  were  all  at  a  stand,  to  see  who  they  would 
cry  out  of;  but  in  a  short  time  they  cried  out,  Gary;  and  immediately 
after  a  Warrant  was  sent  from  the  Justices  to  bring  my  Wife  before 
them,  who  were  sitting  in  a  Chamber  near  by,  waiting  for  this. 

Being  brought  before  the  Justices,  her  chief  accusers  were  two 
Girls;  my  Wife  declared  to  the  Justices,  that  she  never  had  any 
knowledge  of  them  before  that  day;  she  was  forced  to  stand  with  her 
Arms  stretched  out.  I  did  request  that  I  might  hold  one  of  her 
hands,  but  it  was  denied  me;  then  she  desired  me  to  wipe  the  Tears 
from  her  Eyes,  and  the  Sweat  from  her  Face,  which  I  did;  then  she 
desired  she  might  lean  her  self  on  me,  saying,  she  should  faint. 

Justice  Hathorn  replied,  she  had  strength  enough  to  torment 
those  persons,  and  she  should  have  strength  enough  to  stand.  I 
speaking  something  against  their  cruel  proceedings,  they  commanded 
me  to  be  silent,  or  else  I  should  be  turned  out  of  the  Room.  The 
Indian  before  mentioned,  was  also  brought  in,  to  be  one  of  her 
Accusers :  being  come  in,  he  now  (when  before  the  Justices)  fell  down 
and  tumbled  about  like  a  Hog,  but  said  nothing.  The  Justices  asked 
the  Girls,  who  afflicted  the  Indian?  they  answered  she  (meaning  my 
Wife)  and  now  lay  upon  him;  the  Justices  ordered  her  to  touch  him, 
in  order  to  his  cure,  but  her  head  must  be  turned  another  way,  least 
instead  of  curing,  she  should  make  him  worse,  by  her  looking  on 
him,  her  hand  being  guided  to  take  hold  of  his;  but  the  Indian  took 
hold  on  her  hand,  and  pulled  her  down  on  the  Floor,  in  a  barbarous 
manner;  then  his  hand  was  taken  off,  and  her  hand  put  on  his,  and 
the  cure  was  quickly  wrought.  I  being  extreamly  troubled  at  their 
Inhumane  dealings,  uttered  a  hasty  Speech  (That  God  would  take 
vengeance  on  them,  and  desired  that  God  would  deliver  us  out  of  the 
hands  of  unmerciful  men.)  Then  her  Mittimus  was  writ.  I  did 
with  difficulty  and  charge  obtain  the  liberty  of  a  Room,  but  no  Beds 
in  it;  if  there  had,  could  have  taken  but  little  rest  that  Night.  She 
was  committed  to  Boston  Prison;  but  I  obtained  a  Habeas  Corpus 
to  remove  her  to  Cambridge  Prison,  which  is  in  our  County  of  Mid- 

1  Gary  is  speaking,  of  course,  of  "John  Indian"  and  Tituba. 


NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

dlesex.  Having  been  there  one  Night,  next  Morning  the  Jaylor  put 
Irons  on  her  legs  (having  received  such  a  command)  the  weight  of 
them  was  about  eight  pounds;  these  Irons  and  her  other  Afflictions, 
soon  brought  her  into  Convulsion  Fits,  so  that  I  thought  she  would 
have  died  that  Night.  I  sent  to  intreat  that  the  Irons  might  be 
taken  off,  but  all  intreaties  were  in  vain,  if  it  would  have  saved  her 
Life,  so  that  in  this  condition  she  must  continue.  The  Tryals  at 
Salem  coming  on,  I  went  thither,  to  see  how  things  were  there  man- 
aged; and  finding  that  the  Spectre-Evidence  was  there  received, 
together  with  Idle,  if  not  malicious  Stories,  against  Peoples  Lives,  I 
did  easily  perceive  which  way  the  rest  would  go;  for  the  same  Evi- 
dence that  served  for  one,  would  serve  for  all  the  rest.  I  acquainted 
her  with  her  danger;  and  that  if  she  were  carried  to  Salem  to  be 
tried,  I  feared  she  would  never  return.  I  did  my  utmost  that  she 
might  have  her  Tryal  in  our  own  County,  I  with  several  others 
Petitioning  the  Judge  for  it,  and  were  put  in  hopes  of  it;  but  I  soon 
saw  so  much,  that  I  understood  thereby  it  was  not  intended,  which 
put  me  upon  consulting  the  means  of  her  escape;  which  thro  the 
goodness  of  God  was  effected,  and  she  got  to  Road  Island,1  but  soon 
found  her  self  not  safe  when  there,  by  reason  of  the  pursuit  after 
her;  from  thence  she  went  to  New-York,  along  with  some  others 
that  had  escaped  their  cruel  hands;  where  we  found  his  Excellency 
Benjamin  Fletcher,  Esq;  Governour,  who  was  very  courteous  to  us. 
After  this  some  of  my  Goods  were  seized  in  a  Friends  hands,  with 
whom  I  had  left  them,  and  my  self  imprisoned  by  the  Sheriff,  and 
kept  in  Custody  half  a  day,  and  then  dismist;  but  to  speak  of  their 
usage  of  the  Prisoners,  and  their  Inhumanity  shewn  to  them,  at  the 
time  of  their  Execution,  no  sober  Christian  could  bear;  they  had 
also  tryals  of  cruel  mockings;  which  is  the  more,  considering  what  a 
People  for  Religion,  I  mean  the  profession  of  it,  we  have  been;  those 
that  suffered  being  many  of  them  Church-Members,  and  most  of 
them  unspotted  in  their  Conversation,  till  their  Adversary  the  Devil 
took  up  this  Method  for  accusing  them. 

Per  NATHANIEL*  GARY. 

May  31.  Captain  John  Aldin3  was  Examined  at  Salem, 
and  Committed  to  Boston  Prison.  The  Prison-Keeper  seeing 

1  Rhode  Island.  "July  30,  1692.  Mrs.  Gary  makes  her  escape  out  of  Cam- 
bridge-Prison, who  was  Committed  for  Witchcraft."  (Sewall,  Diary,  I.  362.) 

•"Jonathan"  in  original:  corrected  to  "Nathaniel"  in  Errata. 

*  See  above,  pp.  170,  note  2,  and  178,  note  6.  Captain  Alden,  Indian  fighter, 
naval  commander,  now  at  seventy  a  man  of  wealth,  was  one  of  the  leading  figures 
of  New  England. 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  353 

such  a  Man  Committed,  of  whom  he  had  a  good  esteem,  was 
after  this  the  more  Compassionate  to  those  that  were  in  Prison 
on  the  like  account;  and  did  refrain  from  such  hard  things  to 
the  Prisoners,  as  before  he  had  used.  Mr.  Aldin  himself  has 
given  account  of  his  Examination,  in  these  Words. 

An  Account  how  John  Aldin,  Senior,  was  dealt  with  at  Salem-Village. 

John  Aldin  Senior,  of  Boston,  in  the  County  of  Suffolk,  Mar- 
riner,  on  the  28th  Day  of  May,  1692,  was  sent  for  by  the  Magistrates 
of  Salem,  in  the  County  of  Essex,  upon  the  Accusation  of  a  company 
of  poor  distracted,  or  possessed  Creatures  or  Witches;  and  being 
sent  by  Mr.  Stoughton,1  arrived  there  the  31st  of  May,  and  appeared 
at  Salem-Village,  before  Mr.  Gidney,2  Mr.  Hathorn,  and  Mr.  Cur- 
win. 

Those  Wenches  being  present,  who  plaid  their  jugling  tricks, 
falling  down,  crying  out,  and  staring  in  Peoples  Faces;  the  Magis- 
trates demanded  of  them  several  times,  who  it  was  of  all  the  People 
in  the  Room  that  hurt  them?  one  of  these  Accusers  pointed  several 
times  at  one  Captain  Hill,  there  present,  but  spake  nothing;  the 
same  Accuser  had  a  Man  standing  at  her  back  to  hold  her  up;  he 
stooped  down  to  her  Ear,  then  she  cried  out,  Aldin,  Aldin  afflicted 
her;  one  of  the  Magistrates  asked  her  if  she  had  ever  seen  Aldin, 
she  answered  no,  he  asked  her  how  she  knew  it  was  Aldin?  She 
said,  the  Man  told  her  so. 

Then  all  were  ordered  to  go  down  into  the  Street,  where  a  Ring 
was  made;  and  the  same  Accuser  cried  out,  "there  stands  Aldin,  a 
bold  fellow  with  his  Hat  on  before  the  Judges,  he  sells  Powder  and 
Shot  to  the  Indians  and  French,  and  lies  with  the  Indian  Squaes, 
and  has  Indian  Papooses."  Then  was  Aldin  committed  to  the  Mar- 
shal's Custody,  and  his  Sword  taken  from  him;  for  they  said  he 
afflicted  them  with  his  Sword.  After  some  hours  Aldin  was  sent  for 
to  the  Meeting-house  in  the  Village  before  the  Magistrates;  who  re- 
quired Aldin  to  stand  upon  a  Chair,  to  the  open  view  of  all  the 
People. 

The  Accusers  cried  out  that  Aldin  did  pinch  them,  then,  when  he 
stood  upon  the  Chair,  in  the  sight  of  all  the  People,  a  good  way  dis- 
tant from  them,  one  of  the  Magistrates  bid  the  Marshal  to  hold  open 
Aldin's  hands,  that  he  might  not  pinch  those  Creatures.  Aldin  asked 

1  The  lieutenant-governor — soon  to  be  head  of  the  special  court  for  the  trial 
of  the  witches.     See  above,  p.  183,  note  2,  and  p.  199. 

2  Bartholomew  Gedney,  of  Salem,  the  third  magistrate,  was,  like  his  col- 
leagues, an  assistant  of  the  province. 


354         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

them  why  they  should  think,  that  he  should  come  to  that  Village  to 
afflict  those  persons  that  he  never  knew  or  saw  before?  Mr.  Gidney 
bid  Aldin  confess,  and  give  glory  to  God;  Aldin  said  he  hoped  he 
should  give  glory  to  God,  and  hoped  he  should  never  gratifie  the  Devil; 
but  appealed  to  all  that  ever  knew  him,  if  they  ever  suspected  him 
to  be  such  a  person,  and  challenged  any  one,  that  could  bring  in  any 
thing  upon  their  own  knowledge,  that  might  give  suspicion  of  his 
being  such  an  one.  Mr.  Gidney  said  he  had  known  Aldin  many 
Years,  and  had  been  at  Sea  with  him,  and  always  look'd  upon  him 
to  be  an  honest  Man,  but  now  he  did  see  cause  to  alter  his  judgment: 
Aldin  answered,  he  was  sorry  for  that,  but  he  hoped  God  would 
clear  up  his  Innocency,  that  he  would  recall  that  judgment  again, 
and  added  that  he  hoped  that  he  should  with  Job  maintain  his  In- 
tegrity till  he  died.  They  bid  Aldin  look  upon  the  Accusers,  which 
he  did,  and  then  they  fell  down.  Aldin  asked  Mr.  Gidney,  what 
Reason  there  could  be  given,  why  Aldin's  looking  upon  him  did  not 
strike  him  down  as  well;  but  no  reason  was  given  that  I  heard.  But 
the  Accusers  were  brought  to  Aldin  to  touch  them,  and  this  touch 
they  said  made  them  well.  Aldin  began  to  speak  of  the  Providence 
of  God  in  suffering  these  Creatures  to  accuse  Innocent  persons.  Mr. 
Noyes  asked  Aldin  why  he  would  offer  to  speak  of  the  Providence  of 
God.  God  by  his  Providence  (said  Mr.  Noyes)  governs  the  World, 
and  keeps  it  in  peace;  and  so  went  on  with  Discourse,  and  stopt 
Aldin's  mouth,  as  to  that.  Aldin  told  Mr.  Gidney,  that  he  could 
assure  him  that  there  was  a  lying  Spirit  in  them,  for  I  can  assure  you 
that  there  is  not  a  word  of  truth  in  all  these  say  of  me.  But  Aldin 
was  again  .committed  to  the  Marshal,  and  his  Mittimus  written, 
which  was  as  follows. 

To  Mr.  John  Arnold,  Keeper  of  the  Prison  in  Boston,  in  the  County 
of  Suffolk. 

Whereas  Captain  John  Aldin  of  Boston,  Marriner,  and  Sarah 
Rice,  Wife  of  Nicholas  Rice  of  Reding,  Husbandman,  have  been 
this  day  brought  before  us,  John  Hathorn  and  Jonathan  Curwin, 
Esquires;  being  accused  and  suspected  of  perpetrating  divers  acts 
of  Witchcraft,  contrary  to  the  form  of  the  Statute,  in  that  Case  made 
and  provided :  These  are  therefore  in  Their  Majesties,  King  William 
and  Queen  Marys  Names,  to  Will  and  require  you,  to  take  into  your 
Custody,  the  bodies  of  the  said  John  Aldin,  and  Sarah  Rice,  and 
them  safely  keep,  until  they  shall  thence  be  delivered  by  due  course 
of  Law;  as  you  will  answer  the  contrary  at  your  peril;  and  this  shall 
be  your  sufficient  Warrant.  Given  under  our  hands  at  Salem 
Village,  the  31st  of  May,  in  the  Fourth  Year  of  the  Reign  of  our 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  355 

Sovereign  Lord  and  Lady,  William  and  Mary,  now  King  and  Queen 
over  England,  etc.,  Anno  Dom.  1692. 

JOHNHATHORN,          l 

JONATHAN  CURWIN,  J 

To  Boston  Aldin  was  carried  by  a  Constable,  no  Bail  would  be 
taken  for  him;  but  was  delivered  to  the  Prison-keeper,  where  he  re- 
mained Fifteen  Weeks;1  and  then  observing  the  manner  of  Tryals, 
and  Evidence  then  taken,  was  at  length  prevailed  with  to  make  his 
Escape,  and  being  returned,  was  bound  over  to  Answer  at  the  Superior 
Court  at  Boston,  the  last  Tuesday  in  April,  Anno  1693.  And  was 
there  cleared  by  Proclamation,  none  appearing  against  him. 

Per  JOHN  ALDIN. 

At  Examination,  and  at  other  times,  'twas  usual  for  the 
Accusers  to  tell  of  the  black  Man,  or  of  a  Spectre,  as  being 
then  on  the  Table,  etc.  The  People  about  would  strike  with 
Swords,  or  sticks  at  those  places.  One  Justice  broke  his  Cane 
at  this  Exercise,  and  sometimes  the  Accusers  would  say,  they 
struck  the  Spectre,  and  it  is  reported  several  of  the  accused 
were  hurt  and  wounded  thereby,  though  at  home  at  the  same 
time. 

The  Justices  proceeding  in  these  works  of  Examination,  and 
Commitment,  to  the  end  of  May,  there  was  by  that  time 
about  a  Hundred  persons  Imprisoned  upon  that  Account. 

June  2.  A  special  Commission  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  hav- 
ing been  Issued  out,  to  Mr.  Stoughton,  the  New '  Lieutenant 
Governour,  Major  Saltonstall,  Major  Richards,  Major  Gidny, 
Mr.  Wait  Winthrop,  Captain  Sewall,  and  Mr.  Sergeant;2 
These  (a  Quorum  of  them)  sat  at  Salem  this  day;  where  the 

1  Captain  Alden's  case  seems  to  have  made  a  great  stir.    On  July  20  there 
was  held  a  special  "Fast  at  the  house  of  Capt.  Alden,  upon  his  account."    Judge 
Sewall  read  a  sermon,  and  Willard,  Allen,  and  Cotton  Mather  prayed,  then  Cap- 
tain Hill  and  Captain  Scottow;   "concluded  about  5.  aclock."     (Sewall,  Diary, 
I.  361-362.)     A  year  later,  on  June  12,  1693,  Sewall  records:    "I  visit  Capt. 
Alden  and  his  wife,  and  tell  them  I  was  sorry  for  their  Sorrow  and  Temptations 
by  reason  of  his  Imprisonment,  and  that  [I]  was  glad  of  his  Restauration." 

2  See  above,  pp.  183-185,  196-198.     These  gentlemen  were  all  members  of 
the  new  Council  of  the  province.     Saltonstall,  out  of  dissatisfaction  with  the 
proceedings,  early  withdrew  (see  above,  p.  184),  and  was  later  himself  accused 
(Sewall's  Diary,  I.  373).    Jonathan  Corwin  took  his  place.     A  quorum  was  five. 
All  the  judges  had  had  experience  in  the  colony's  Court  of  Assistants;  but  none 
had  had  a  legal  training. 


356         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

most  that  was  done  this  Week,  was  the  Tryal  of  one  Bishop, 
alias  Oliver,  of  Salem;  who  having  long  undergone  the  repute 
of  a  Witch,  occasioned  by  the  Accusations  of  one  Samuel  Gray: 
he  about  20  Years  since,  having  charged  her  with  such  Crimes, 
and  though  upon  his  Death-bed  he  testified  his  sorrow  and 
repentance  for  such  Accusations,  as  being  wholly  groundless; 
yet  the  report  taken  up  by  his  means  continued,  and  she  being 
accused  by  those  afflicted,  and  upon  search  a  Tet,  as  they  call 
it,  being  found,  she  was  brought  in  guilty  by  the  Jury;  she 
received  her  Sentence  of  Death,  and  was  Executed,  June  10, 
but  made  not  the  least  Confession  of  any  thing  relating  to 
Witchcraft.1 

June  15.  Several  Ministers  in  and  near  Boston,  having 
been  to  that  end  consulted  by  his  Excellency,2  exprest  their 
minds  to  this  effect,  viz. 

That  they  were  affected  with  the  deplorable  state  of  the 
afflicted;  That  they  were  thankful  for  the  diligent  care  of  the 
Rulers,  to  detect  the  abominable  Witchcrafts,  which  have 
been  committed  in  the  Country,  praying  for  a  perfect  discovery 
thereof.  But  advised  to  a  cautious  proceeding,  least  many 
Evils  ensue,  etc.  And  that  tenderness  be  used  towards  those 
accused,  relating  to  matters  presumptive  and  convictive,  and 
also  to  privacy  in  Examinations,  and  to  consult  Mr.  Perkins 
and  Mr.  Bernard,3  what  tests  to  make  use  of  in  the  Scrutiny : 
That  Presumptions  and  Convictions  ought  to  have  better 
grounds,  than  the  Accusers  affirming  that  they  see  such  per- 
sons Spectres  afflicting  them :  And  that  the  Devil  may  afflict 
in  the  shape  of  good  Men;  and  that  falling  at  the  sight,  and 
rising  at  the  touch  of  the  Accused,  is  no  infallible  proof  of 
guilt;  That  seeing  the  Devils  strength  consists  in  such  Accusa- 
tions, our  disbelieving  them  may  be  a  means  to  put  a  period 
to  the  dreadful  Calamities;  Nevertheless  they  humbly  recom- 
mend to  the  Government,  the  speedy  and  vigorous  prosecu- 

1  As  to  the  trial  of  Bridget  Bishop  see  above,  pp.  223-229.  Before  her  last 
marriage  she  had  been  a  widow  Oliver.  The  testimony  against  her  includes  the 
deposition  of  a  Samuel  Gray  (Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft,  I.  152-153)  as  to  her 
bewitching  to  death  his  child  some  fourteen  years  before.  Of  his  repentance  at 
his  death,  which  must  have  been  recent  when  Calef  wrote,  the  writer  doubtless 
speaks  from  personal  knowledge. 

*  See  above,  p.  194.  J  See  above,  p.  304,  notes  3,  5. 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  357 

tion  of  such  as  have  rendered  themselves  obnoxious,  according 
to  the  direction  given  in  the  Laws  of  God,  and  the  wholesome 
Statutes  of  the  English  Nation,  for  the  Detection  of  Witch- 
craft. 

This  is  briefly  the  substance  of  what  may  be  seen  more  at 
large  in  Coses  of  Conscience,  (ult.)1  And  one  of  them2  since 
taking  occasion  to  repeat  some  part  of  this  advice,  Wonders  of 
the  Invisible  World,  p.  83,  declares,  (notwithstanding  the  Dis- 
satisfaction of  others)  that  if  his  said  Book  may  conduce  to 
promote  thankfulness  to  God  for  such  Executions,  he  shall 
rejoyce,  etc. 

The  30#i  of  June,  the  Court  according  to  Adjournment 
again  sat;  five  more  were  tried,  viz.  Sarah  Good  and  Rebecca 
Nurse,  of  Salem-Village ;  Susanna  Martin  of  Amsbury;  Eliza- 
beth How  of  Ipswich;  and  Sarah  Wildes  of  Topsfield;  these 
were  all  condemned  that  Sessions,  and  were  all  Executed  on  the 
19th  of  July.3 

At  the  Tryal  of  Sarah  Good,  one  of  the  afflicted  fell  in  a 
Fit,  and  after  coming  out  of  it,  she  cried  out  of  the  Prisoner, 
for  stabing  her  in  the  breast  with  a  Knife,  and  that  she  had 
broken  the  Knife  in  stabbing  of  her,  accordingly  a  piece  of  the 
blade  of  a  Knife  was  found  about  her.  Immediately  informa- 
tion being  given  to  the  Court,  a  young  Man  was  called,  who 
produced  a  Haft  and  part  of  the  Blade,  which  the  Court  having 
viewed  and  compared,  saw  it  to  be  the  same.  And  upon  in- 
quiry the  young  Man  affirmed,  that  yesterday  he  happened 
to  break  that  Knife,  and  that  he  cast  away  the  upper  part, 
this  afflicted  person  being  then  present.  The  young  Man  was 

1  The  full  text  of  the  document,  that  is,  may  be  found  at  the  end  of  Increase 
Mather's  Cases  of  Conscience  (London,  1693).  With  that  book,  or  from  it,  it 
has  been  often  reprinted.  In  his  life  of  Phips  (and  in  its  reprint  in  his  Magnolia) 
Cotton  Mather  tells  us  that  it  was  drawn  up  by  himself;  but  it  doubtless  em- 
bodied a  compromise.  Increase  Mather  calls  it  "the  humble  Advice  which  twelve 
Ministers  concurringly  presented  before  his  Excellency  and  Council,"  and  it 
entitles  itself  "The  Return  of  several  Ministers  consulted  by  his  Excellency,  and 
the  Honourable  Council,  upon  the  present  Witchcrafts  in  Salem  Village." 

*  Cotton  Mather,  of  course. 

3  As  to  the  trials  of  Susanna  Martin  and  Elizabeth  How  see  above,  pp.  229- 
240,  and  records  there  cited.  The  documents  for  those  of  Sarah  Good,  Rebecca 
Nurse,  Sarah  Wildes,  may  be  found  in  Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft  (I.  11-34, 
76-99,  180-189),  but  for  the  two  last  more  fully  in  the  Historical  Collections  of 
the  Topsfield  Historical  Society  (XIII.  80-92). 


358         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

dismist,  and  she  was  bidden  by  the  Court  not  to  tell  lyes; 
and  was  improved  (after  as  she  had  been  before)  to  give  Evi- 
dence against  the  Prisoners. 

At  Execution,  Mr.  Noyes  urged  Sarah  Good  to  Confess, 
and  told  her  she  was  a  Witch,  and  she  knew  she  was  a  Witch, 
to  which  she  replied,  "you  are  a  Iyer;  I  am  no  more  a  Witch 
than  you  are  a  Wizard,  and  if  you  take  away  my  Life,  God 
will  give  you  Blood  to  drink." 

At  the  Tryal  of  Rebecka  Nurse,  this  was  remarkable  that  the 
Jury  brought  in  their  Verdict  not  Guilty,  immediately  all  the 
accusers  in  the  Court,  and  suddenly  after  all  the  afflicted  out 
of  Court,  made  an  hideous  out-cry,  to  the  amazement,  not 
only  of  the  Spectators,  but  the  Court  also  seemed  strangely 
surprized;  one  of  the  Judges  exprest  himself  not  satisfied,  an- 
other of  them  as  he  was  going  off  the  Bench,  said  they  would 
have  her  Indicted  anew.  The  chief  Judge  said  he  would  not 
Impose  upon  the  Jury;  but  intimated,  as  if  they  had  not  well 
considered  one  Expression  of  the  Prisoners,  when  she  was  upon 
Tryal,  viz.  That  when  one  Hobbs,  who  had  confessed  her  self 
to  be  a  Witch,  was  brought  into  the  Court  to  witness  against 
her,  the  Prisoner  turning  her  head  to  her,  said,  "  What,  do  you 
bring  her?  she  is  one  of  us,"  or  to  that  effect;  this  together 
with  the  Clamours  of  the  Accusers,  induced  the  Jury  to  go 
out  again,  after  their  Verdict,  not  Guilty.  But  not  agreeing, 
they  came  into  the  Court,  and  she  being  then  at  the  Bar,  her 
words  were  repeated  to  her,  in  order  to  have  had  her  explanation 
of  them,  and  she  making  no  Reply  to  them,  they  found  the 
Bill,  and  brought  her  in  Guilty;  these  words  being  the  Induce- 
ment to  it,  as  the  Foreman  has  signified  in  writing,  as  follows. 

July  4,  1692.  I  Thomas  Fisk,  the  Subscriber  hereof,  being  one 
of  them  that  were  of  the  Jury  the  last  week  at  Salem-Court,  upon  the 
Tryal  of  Rebecka  Nurse,  etc.,  being  desired  by  some  of  the  Relations 
to  give  a  Reason  why  the  Jury  brought  her  in  Guilty,  after  her  Ver- 
dict not  Guilty;  I  do  hereby  give  my  Reasons  to  be  as  follows,  viz. 

When  the  Verdict  not  Guilty  was,  the  honoured  Court  was 
pleased  to  object  against  it,  saying  to  them,  that  they  think  they  let 
slip  the  words,  which  the  Prisoner  at  the  Bar  spake  against  her  self, 
which  were  spoken  in  reply  to  Goodwife  Hobbs  and  her  Daughter, 
who  had  been  faulty  in  setting  their  hands  to  the  Devils  Book,  as 
they  have  confessed  formerly ;  the  words  were  "  What,  do  these  per- 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  359 

sons  give  in  Evidence  against  me  now,  they  used  to  come  among  us." 
After  the  honoured  Court  had  manifested  their  dissatisfaction  of  the 
Verdict,  several  of  the  Jury  declared  themselves  desirous  to  go  out 
again,  and  thereupon  the  honoured  Court  gave  leave;  but  when  we 
came  to  consider  of  the  Case,  I  could  not  tell  how  to  take  her  words, 
as  an  Evidence  against  her,  till  she  had  a  further  opportunity  to  put 
her  Sense  upon  them,  if  she  would  take  it;  and  then  going  into  Court, 
I  mentioned  the  words  aforesaid,  which  by  one  of  the  Court  were 
affirmed  to  have  been  spoken  by  her,  she  being  then  at  the  Bar,  but 
made  no  reply,  nor  interpretation  of  them;  whereupon  these  words 
were  to  me  a  principal  Evidence  against  her. 

THOMAS  FISK. 

When  Goodwife  Nurse  was  informed  what  use  was  made 
of  these  words,  she  put  in  this  following  Declaration  into  the 
Court. 

These  presents  do  humbly  shew,  to  the  honoured  Court  and 
Jury,  that  I  being  informed,  that  the  Jury  brought  me  in  Guilty, 
upon  my  saying  that  Goodwife  Hobbs  and  her  Daughter  were  of  our 
Company;  but  I  intended  no  otherways,  then  as1  they  were  Prisoners 
with  us,  and  therefore  did  then,  and  yet  do  judge  them  not  legal 
Evidence  against  their  fellow  Prisoners.  And  I  being  something 
hard  of  hearing,  and  full  of  grief,  none  informing  me  how  the  Court 
took  up  my  words,  and  therefore  had  not  opportunity  to  declare 
what  I  intended,  when  I  said  they  were  of  our  Company. 

REBECKA  NURSE. 

After  her  Condemnation  she  was  by  one  of  the  Ministers 
of  Salem  excommunicated;2  yet  the  Governour  saw  cause  to 
grant  a  Reprieve,  which  when  known  (and  some  say  imme- 
diately upon  granting)  the  Accusers  renewed  their  dismal  out- 
cries against  her,  insomuch  that  the  Governour  was  by  some 
Salem  Gentleman  prevailed  with  to  recall  the  Reprieve,  and 
she  was  Executed  with  the  rest. 

1 1.  e.,  than  that.  ; 

2  By  Mr.  Noyes,  of  whose  church  in  Salem  Town  she  was  a  member.  Says 
the  church  record:  "1692,  July  3. — After  sacrament,  the  elders  propounded  to 
the  church, — and  it  was,  by  an  unanimous  vote,  consented  to, — that  our  sister 
Nurse,  being  a  convicted  witch  by  the  Court,  and  condemned  to  die,  should  be 
excommunicated;  which  was  accordingly  done  in  the  afternoon,  she  being 
present."  (Upham,  Salem  Witchcraft,  II.  290.)  Upham,  himself  long  pastor 
of  this  church,  has  drawn  a  powerful  picture  of  the  probable  scene. 


360         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

The  Testimonials  of  her  Christian  behaviour,  both  in  the 
course  of  her  Life,  and  at  her  Death,  and  her  extraordinary 
care  in  educating  her  Children,  and  setting  them  good  Ex- 
amples, etc.,  under  the  hands  of  so  many,  are  so  numerous,  that 
for  brevity  they  are  here  omitted.1 

It  was  at  the  Tryal  of  these  that  one  of  the  Accusers  cried 
out  publickly  of  Mr.  Willard  Minister  in  Boston,2  as  afflicting 
of  her;  she  was  sent  out  of  the  Court,  and  it  was  told  about 
she  was  mistaken  in  the  person. 

August  5.  The  Court  again  sitting,  six  more  were  tried 
on  the  same  Account,  viz.  Mr.  George  Burroughs,  sometime 
minister  of  Wells,  John  Procter,  and  Elizabeth  Procter  his 
Wife,  with  John  Willard  of  Salem- Village,  George  Jacobs 
Senior,  of  Salem,  and  Martha  Carryer  of  Andover;3  these 
were  all  brought  in  Guilty  and  Condemned;  and  were  all 
Executed  Aug.  19,  except  Procter's  Wife,  who  pleaded  Preg- 
nancy.4 

Mr.  Burroughs  was  carried  in  a  Cart  with  the  others, 
through  the  streets  of  Salem  to  Execution;  when  he  was  upon 
the  Ladder,  he  made  a  Speech  for  the  clearing  of  his  Innocency, 
with  such  Solemn  and  Serious  Expressions,  as  were  to  the 
Admiration  of  all  present;  his  Prayer  (which  he  concluded  by 
repeating  the  Lord's  Prayer,)  was  so  well  worded,  and  uttered 
with  such  composedness,  and  such  (at  least  seeming)  fervency 
of  Spirit,  as  was  very  affecting,  and  drew  Tears  from  many 
(so  that  it  seemed  to  some,  that  the  Spectators  would  hinder 

*Two  of  these  testimonials,  one  of  them  signed  by  thirty-eight  of  her 
neighbors,  are  printed  by  Upham  (Salem  Witchcraft,  II.  271-272),  and  more  ex- 
actly, from  the  still  extant  MSS.,  in  the  Historical  Collections  of  the  Topsfield 
Historical  Society  (XIII.  57-58) — and  with  them  the  touching  evidence  of  the 
neighbors  who  first  bore  her  the  news  of  her  accusation. 

1  See  above,  pp.  22,  184,  and  186,  note  3. 

8  As  to  the  trials  of  Burroughs  and  Goodwife  Carrier  see  above,  pp.  215-222, 
241-244,  and  records  there  cited.  Those  relating  to  Procter  and  his  wife,  to 
Willard,  and  to  Jacobs  may  be  found  in  Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft  (I.  60-74, 
99-117,  266-279,  253-265).  The  testimonials  on  behalf  of  the  Procters  are  re- 
printed (with  corrections)  by  Upham  (Salem  Witchcraft,  II.  305-307).  As  to 
Willard  other  papers  will  be  found  in  Dr.  S.  A.  Green's  Groton  in  the  Witchcraft 
Times  (Groton,  1883),  pp.  23-29.  The  documents  relating  to  Jacobs  are  to  be 
found  also  in  the  Collections  of  the  Essex  Institute  (II.  49-57),  where  (and  in  I. 
52-56)  are  further  details  as  to  him  and  his  household. 

4  For  Brattle's  account  of  their  execution  see  above,  p.  177. 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  361 

the  Execution).  The  accusers  said  the  black  Man  stood  and 
dictated  to  him;  as  soon  as  he  was  turned  off,  Mr.  Cotton 
Mather,  being  mounted  upon  a  Horse,  addressed  himself  to 
the  People,  partly  to  declare,  that  he  was  no  ordained  Minis- 
ter, and  partly  to  possess  the  People  of  his  guilt;  saying,  That 
the  Devil  has  often  been  transformed  into  an  Angel  of  Light; 
and  this  did  somewhat  appease  the  People,  and  the  Execu- 
tions went  on;  when  he  was  cut  down,  he  was  dragged  by  the 
Halter  to  a  Hole,  or  Grave,  between  the  Rocks,  about  two 
foot  deep,  his  Shirt  and  Breeches  being  pulled  off,  and  an  old 
pair  of  Trousers  of  one  Executed,  put  on  his  lower  parts,  he 
was  so  put  in,  together  with  Willard  and  Carryer,  one  of  his 
Hands  and  his  Chin,  and  a  Foot  of  one  [of]  them  being  left 
uncovered.1 

John  Willard  had  been  imployed  to  fetch  in  several  that 
were  accused;  but  taking  dissatisfaction  from  his  being  sent, 
to  fetch  up  some  that  he  had  better  thoughts  of,  he  declined 
the  Service,  and  presently  after  he  himself  was  accused  of  the 
same  Crime,  and  that  with  such  vehemency,  that  they  sent 
after  him  to  apprehend  him;  he  had  made  his  Escape  as  far 
as  Nashawag,2  about  40  Miles  from  Salem;  yet  "'tis  said  those 
Accusers  did  then  presently  tell  the  exact  time,  saying,  now 
Willard  is  taken. 

John  Procter  and  his  Wife  being  in  Prison,  the  Sheriff 
came  to  his  House  and  seized  all  the  Goods,  Provisions,  and 
Cattle  that  he  could  come  at,  and  sold  some  of  the  Cattle  at 
half  price,  and  killed  others,  and  put  them  up  for  the  West- 
Indies;  threw  out  the  Beer  out  of  a  Barrel,  and  carried  away 
the  Barrel ;  emptied  a  Pot  of  Broath,  and  took  away  the  Pot, 
and  left  nothing  in  the  House  for  the  support  of  the  Children : 
No  part  of  the  said  Goods  are  known  to  be  returned.  Procter 
earnestly  requested  Mr.  Noyes  to  pray  with  and  for  him,  but 

1  "This  day,"  writes  Judge  Sewall  in  his  diary,  "George  Burrough,  John 
Willard,  Jno.  Procter,  Martha  Carrier  and  George  Jacobs  were  executed  at  Salem, 
a  very  great  number  of  Spectators  being  present.     Mr.  Cotton  Mather  was 
there,  Mr.  Sims,  Hale,  Noyes,  Chiever,  etc.     All  of  them  said  they  were  innocent, 
Carrier  and  all.     Mr.  Mather  says  they  all  died  by  a  Righteous  Sentence.     Mr. 
Burrough  by  his  Speech,  Prayer,  protestation  of  his  Innocence,  did  much  move 
unthinking  persons,  which  occasions  their  speaking  hardly  concerning  his  being 
executed."     In  the  margin  he  later  added  "Dolefull  Witchcraft!" 

2  Nashaway,  an  old  name  of  Lancaster. 


362         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

it  was  wholly  denied,  because  he  would  not  own  himself  to  be 
a  Witch. 

During  his  Imprisonment  he  sent  the  following  Letter,  in 
behalf  of  himself  and  others. 

SALEM-PRISON,  July  23, 1692. 
Mr.  Mather,  Mr.  Allen, 
Mr.  Moody,  Mr.  Willard,  and 
Mr.  Bailey.1 

Reverend  Gentlemen. 

The  innocency  of  our  Case  with  the  Enmity  of  our  Accusers 
and  our  Judges,  and  Jury,  whom  nothing  but  our  Innocent  Blood 
will  serve  their  turn,  having  Condemned  us  already  before  our  Tryals, 
being  so  much  incensed  and  engaged  against  us  by  the  Devil,  makes 
us  bold  to  Beg  and  Implore  your  Favourable  Assistance  of  this  our 
Humble  Petition  to  his  Excellency,  That  if  it  be  possible  our  Inno- 
cent Blood  may  be  spared,  which  undoubtedly  otherwise  will  be 
shed,  if  the  Lord  doth  not  mercifully  step  in.  The  Magistrates,  Min- 
isters, Jewries,2  and  all  the  People  in  general,  being  so  much  inraged 
and  incensed  against  us  by  the  Delusion  of  the  Devil,  which  we 
can  term  no  other,  by  reason  we  know  in  our  own  Consciences,  we 
are  all  Innocent  Persons.  Here  are  five  Persons  who  have  lately 

1  By  "Mr.  Mather"  is  unquestionably  meant  Increase  Mather.  He  alone, 
as  the  senior  in  age  and  in  dignity,  could  with  propriety  be  thus  given  the  first 
place;  and  his  son,  if  named  at  all,  would  have  been  identified  as  "Mr.  Cotton 
Mather."  That  he  is  not  named  at  all  needs  no  explanation  to  those  who  have 
read  his  own  words  as  to  accusers  and  accused  and  his  complaints  as  to  the  blame 
heaped  upon  himself.  Of  Moody,  Willard,  Bailey,  we  have  perhaps  seen  enough 
in  earlier  pages  to  guess  why  such  an  appeal  might  with  hope  be  addressed  to 
them.  The  Boston  Tory  Joshua  Broadbent,  writing  on  June  21  from  New  York, 
reported  that  "Mrs.  Moody,  Parson  Moody 's  wife,  is  said  to  be  one"  of  the 
witches.  (Calendar  of  State  Papers,  Colonial,  1689-1692,  p.  653.)  Of  Allen,  the 
well-to-do  minister  of  the  First  Church,  who  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of  much 
caution,  it  may  be  well  to  remember  that  prior  to  1678  he  had  owned  the  estate 
at  Salem  Village  since  occupied,  but  not  yet  in  full  ownership,  by  the  Nurses, 
Procter's  near  neighbors,  and  that  he  was  doubtless  personally  known  to  the 
petitioner.  Bailey,  who  had  come  to  America  in  1683,  had  at  first  assisted  Wil- 
lard at  the  South  Church,  and,  after  a  pastorate  at  Watertown,  was  now  Allen's 
assistant  at  the  First. 

*  Juries.  It  should  not  be  overlooked  that  in  these  trials  of  1692  the  jurors 
were  chosen  from  among  church-members  only,  not,  as  later,  from  all  who  had 
the  property  to  make  them  voters  under  the  new  charter.  The  act  establish- 
ing this  qualification  for  the  jurors  was  not  passed  till  November  25.  (See 
Goodeli  in  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.,  Proceedings,  second  series,  I.  67-68.) 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  363 

confessed  themselves  to  be  Witches,  and  do  accuse  some  of  us,  of 
being  along  with  them  at  a  Sacrament,  since  we  were  committed  into 
close  Prison,  which  we  know  to  be  Lies.  Two  of  the  5  are  (Carriers 
Sons1)  Young-men,  who  would  not  confess  any  thing  till  they  tyed 
them  Neck  and  Heels2  till  the  Blood  was  ready  to  come  out  of  their 
Noses,  and  'tis  credibly  believed  and  reported  this  was  the  occasion 
of  making  them  confess  that3  they  never  did,  by  reason  they  said 
one  had  been  a  Witch  a  Month,  and  another  five  Weeks,  and  that 
their  Mother  had  made  them  so,  who  has  been  confined  here  this 
nine  Weeks.  My  son  William  Procter,  when  he  was  examin'd,  be- 
cause he  would  not  confess  that  he  was  Guilty,  when  he  was  Innocent, 
they  tyed  him  Neck  and  Heels  till  the  Blood  gushed  out  at  his  Nose, 
and  would  have  kept  him  so  24  Hours,  if  one  more  Merciful  than  the 
rest,  had  not  taken  pity  on  him,  and  caused  him  to  be  unbound. 
These  actions  are  very  like  the  Popish  Cruelties.  They  have  already 
undone  us  in  our  Estates,  and  that  will  not  serve  their  turns,  without 
our  Innocent  Bloods.  If  it  cannot  be  granted  that  we  can  have  our 

1  Richard  and  Andrew,  sons  of  Martha  Carrier,  of  Andover.     (See  above, 
pp.  241-244.)     Richard  was  18. 

2  As  to  this  form  of  torture  see  above,  p.  102  and  note  1.     For  some  of  the 
evidence  extorted  by  it  in  this  case  see  Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft,  p.  198.     The 
use  of  torture  in  cases  of  witchcraft  had  been  recommended  by  Perkins,  the 
Puritan  oracle,  and  yet  more  warmly  by  King  James;    and  despite  protesting 
jurists  it  came  into  use.     Even  Coke,  who  maintains  that  "there  is  no  Law  to 
warrant  tortures  in  this  land,  nor  can  they  be  justified  by  any  prescription," 
has  to  add  "being  so  lately  brought  in"  (Institutes,  III.,  cap.  2).     As  to  its  actual 
use  in  English  witch-trials  see  Notestein,  Witchcraft  in  England,  index,  *.  v. 
"Torture."     But  Massachusetts  law,  from  1641  on,  had  straitly  forbidden  it  ex- 
cept, after  conviction,  to  extort  the  names  of  accomplices;  and  even  then  forbade 
"such  tortures  as  be  barbarous  and  inhumane"  (see  Body  of  Liberties,  par.  45; 
ed.  of  1660,  p.  67;  ed.  of  1672,  p.  129).     If  in  1648  the  highest  court  of  the  colony, 
learning  with  admiration  of  the  achievements  of  Matthew  Hopkins  in  England, 
was  "desirous  that  the  same  course  which  hath  been  taken  in  England  for  the 
discovery  of  witches,  by  watchinge,  may  also  be  taken  here,"  and  ordered,  in 
the  case  of  a  witch,  that  "a  strict  watch  be  set  about  her  every  night,  and  that 
her  husband  be  confined  to  a  private  room,  and  watched  also"  (Records  of  Massa- 
chusetts, III.  126),  their  phrasing  betrays  how  little  they  understood  the  rigor  of 
the  English  method.     In  1692  even  Cotton  Mather  declared  himself  "farr  from 
urging  the  un-English  method  of  torture"  (Mather  Papers,  p.  394),  though  he 
urged  on  the  judges  "whatever  hath  a  tendency  to  put  the  witches  into  con- 
fusion," such  as  "Crosse  and  Swift  Questions."     But  the  procedure  of  that  day, 
like  our  own,  drew  a  line  between  what  might  be  used  in  the  courts  and  what 
might  be  permitted  to  extra-judicial  inquiry,  and  we  shall  see  yet  more  of  methods 
used  at  Salem  to  extort  confession. 

3  That  which. 


364         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

Trials  at  Boston,  we  humbly  beg  that  you  would  endeavour  to  have 
these  Magistrates  changed,  and  others  in  their  rooms,  begging  also 
and  beseeching  you  would  be  pleased  to  be  here,  if  not  all,  some  of 
you  at  our  Trials,  hoping  thereby  you  may  be  the  means  of  saving 
the  shedding  our  Innocent  Bloods,  desiring  your  Prayers  to  the  Lord 
in  our  behalf,  we  rest  your  Poor  Afflicted  Servants, 

JOHN  PROCTER,  etc. 

He  pleaded  very  hard  at  Execution,  for  a  little  respite  of 
time,  saying  that  he  was  not  fit  to  Die ;  but  it  was  not  granted. 

Old  Jacobs  being  Condemned,  the  Sheriff  and  Officers 
came  and  seized  all  he  had,  his  Wife  had  her  Wedding  Ring 
taken  from  her,  but  with  great  difficulty  obtained  it  again. 
She  was  forced  to  buy  Provisions  of  the  Sheriff,  such  as  he  had 
taken,  towards  her  own  support,  which  not  being  sufficient, 
the  Neighbours  of  Charity  relieved  her.1 

Margaret  Jacobs  being  one  that  had  confessed  her  own 
Guilt,  and  testified  against  her  Grand-Father  Jacobs,  Mr. 
Burroughs,  and  John  Willard,  She  the  day  before  Executions, 
came  to  Mr.  Burroughs,  acknowledging  that  she  had  belyed 
them,2  and  begged  Mr.  Burroughs  Forgiveness,  who  not  only 

1 7.  e.,  out  of  charity  the  neighbors  relieved  her. 

1  How  she  was  brought  to  confess  she  herself  told  in  a  brave  paper : 

"The  humble  declaration  of  Margaret  Jacobs  unto  the  honoured  court  now 
sitting  at  Salem,  sheweth 

"That  whereas  your  poor  and  humble  declarant  being  closely  confined  here 
in  Salem  jail  for  the  crime  of  witchcraft,  which  crime,  thanks  be  to  the  Lord, 
I  am  altogether  ignorant  of,  as  will  appear  at  the  great  day  of  judgment.  May 
it  please  the  honoured  court,  I  was  cried  out  upon  by  some  of  the  possessed  per- 
sons, as  afflicting  of  them;  whereupon  I  was  brought  to  my  examination,  which 
persons  at  the  sight  of  me  fell  down,  which  did  very  much  startle  and  affright  me. 
The  Lord  above  knows  I  knew  nothing,  in  the  least  measure,  how  or  who  afflicted 
them;  they  told  me,  without  doubt  I  did,  or  else  they  would  not  fall  down  at 
me;  they  told  me  if  I  would  not  confess,  I  should  be  put  down  into  the  dungeon 
and  would  be  hanged,  but  if  I  would  confess  I  should  have  my  life;  the  which 
did  so  affright  me,  with  my  own  vile  wicked  heart,  to  save  my  life  made  me  make 
the  confession  I  did,  which  confession,  may  it  please  the  honoured  court,  is  alto- 
gether false  and  untrue.  The  very  first  night  after  I  had  made  my  confession, 
I  was  in  such  horror  of  conscience  that  I  could  not  sleep,  for  fear  the  Devil  should 
carry  me  away  for  telling  such  horrid  lies.  I  was,  may  it  please  the  honoured 
court,  sworn  to  my  confession,  as  I  understand  since,  but  then,  at  that  time, 
was  ignorant  of  it,  not  knowing  what  an  oath  did  mean.  The  Lord,  I  hope,  in 
whom  I  trust,  out  of  the  abundance  of  his  mercy,  will  forgive  me  my  false  for- 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  365 

forgave  her,  but  also  Prayed  with  and  for  her.  She  wrote  the 
following  Letter  to  her  Father. 

From  the  Dungeon  in  Salem-Prison,  August  20,  92. 

Honoured  Father, 

After  my  Humble  Duty  Remembred  to  you,  hoping  in  the  Lord 
of  your  good  Health,  as  Blessed  be  God  I  enjoy,  tho  in  abundance  of 
Affliction,  being  close  confined  here  in  a  loathsome  Dungeon,  the 
Lord  look  down  in  mercy  upon  me,  not  knowing  how  soon  I  shall  be 
put  to  Death,  by  means  of  the  Afflicted  Persons;  my  Grand-Father 
having  Suffered  already,  and  all  his  Estate  Seized  for  the  King.  The 
reason  of  my  Confinement  is  this,  I  having,  through  the  Magistrates 
Threatnings,  and  my  own  Vile  and  Wretched  Heart,  confessed  sev- 
eral things  contrary  to  my  Conscience  and  Knowledg,  tho  to  the 
Wounding  of  my  own  Soul,  the  Lord  pardon  me  for  it;  but  Oh!  the 
terrors  of  a  wounded  Conscience  who  can  bear.  But  blessed  be  the 
Lord,  he  would  not  let  me  go  on  in  my  Sins,  but  in  mercy  I  hope  so 
my  Soul  would  not  suffer  me  to  keep  it  in  any  longer,  but  I  was 
forced  to  confess  the  truth  of  all  before  the  Magistrates,  who  would 
not  believe  me,  but  tis  their  pleasure  to  put  me  in  here,  and  God  knows 
how  soon  I  shall  be  put  to  death.  Dear  Father,  let  me  beg  your 
Prayers  to  the  Lord  on  my  behalf,  and  send  us  a  Joyful  and  Happy 
meeting  in  Heaven.  My  Mother  poor  Woman  is  very  Crazey,  and 

swearing  myself.  What  I  said  was  altogether  false,  against  my  grandfather, 
and  Mr.  Burroughs,  which  I  did  to  save  my  life  and  to  have  my  liberty;  but  the 
Lord,  charging  it  to  my  conscience,  made  me  in  so  much  horror,  that  I  could  not 
contain  myself  before  I  had  denied  my  confession,  which  I  did,  though  I  saw 
nothing  but  death  before  me,  choosing  rather  death  with  a  quiet  conscience, 
than  to  live  in  such  horror,  which  I  could  not  suffer.  Whereupon  my  denying 
my  confession,  I  was  committed  to  close  prison,  where  I  have  enjoyed  more  felicity 
in  spirit  a  thousand  times  than  I  did  before  in  my  enlargement. 

"And  now,  may  it  please  your  honours,  your  poor  and  humble  declarant 
having,  in  part,  given  your  honours  a  description  of  my  condition,  do  leave  it  to 
your  honours  pious  and  judicious  discretions  to  take  pity  and  compassion  on  my 
young  and  tender  years;  to  act  and  do  with  me  as  the  Lord  above  and  your  hon- 
ours shall  see  good,  having  no  friend  but  the  Lord  to  plead  my  cause  for  me; 
not  being  guilty  in  the  least  measure  of  the  crime  of  witchcraft,  nor  any  other 
sin  that  deserves  death  from  man;  and  your  poor  and  humble  declarant  shall 
forever  pray,  as  she  is  bound  in  duty,  for  your  honours'  happiness  in  this  life, 
and  eternal  felicity  in  the  world  to  come.  So  prays  your  honours  declarant. 

"MARGARET  JACOBS." 

The  document  is  preserved  by  Hutchinson,  and  may  be  found  in  the  first 
chapter  of  his  second  volume  (or  in  Poole's  reprint  of  an  earlier  draft,  N.  E. 
Hist,  and  Gen.  Register,  XXIV.  402-403). 


366         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1G92 

remembers  her  kind  Love  to  you,  and  to  Uncle,  viz.  D.  A.1    So 
leaving  you  to  the  protection  of  the  Lord,  I  rest  your  Dutiful  Daughter, 

MARGARET  JACOBS. 

At  the  time  appointed  for  her  Tryal,  she  had  an  Impos- 
thume  in  her  head,  which  was  her  Escape.2 

September  9.  Six  more  were  tried,  and  received  Sentance 
of  Death,  viz.  Martha  Cory  of  Salem-Village,  Mary  Easty  of 
Topsfield,  Alice  Parker  and  Ann  Pudeater  of  Salem,  Dorcas 
Hoar  of  Beverly,  and  Mary  Bradberry  of  Salisbury.3  Septem- 
ber 16,  Giles  Cory  was  prest  to  Death. 

September  17.  Nine  more  received  Sentance  of  Death,  viz. 
Margaret  Scot  of  Rowly,  Good  wife  Redd  of  Marblehead, 
Samuel  Wardwell,  and  Mary  Parker  of  Andover,  also  Abigail 
Falkner  of  Andover,  who  pleaded  Pregnancy,  Rebecka  Eames 
of  Boxford,  Mary  Lacy,  and  Ann  Foster  of  Ajidover,  and  Abi- 
gail Hobbs  of  Topsfield.4  Of  these  Eight  were  Executed, 

1  Daniel  Andrew,  the  kinsman  and  neighbor  who  had  fled  with  her  father. 
He  had  been  a  leading  man,  a  teacher,  a  deputy  to  the  General  Court,  and  appar- 
ently a  staunch  opponent  of  the  panic.  As  to  the  crazed  mother,  see  p.  371, 
below,  and  the  grandmother's  petition  in  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.,  Collections,  V.  79  (or 
in  Chandler's  American  Criminal  Trials,  I.  431-432). 

*  For  a  little  more  of  her  story  see  below,  p.  371.  She  was  acquitted  in 
January,  but  had  to  remain  in  jail,  even  after  the  governor  by  proclamation 
had  freed  the  prisoners  (May,  1693),  for  want  of  means  to  pay  her  prison  fees. 
A  stranger,  touched  with  compassion  on  hearing  of  her  case,  advanced  the  money 
— and  was  in  time  repaid.  (Upham,  Salem  Witchcraft,  II.  353-354.) 

3  The  papers  relating  to  Ann  Pudeater  (Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft,  II.  12- 
22)  have  been  embodied  in  a  study  of  her  case  by  G.  F.  Chever  in  the  Collections 
of  the  Essex  Institute  (II.  37-42,  49-54).     The  widow  Dorcas  Hoar  seems  to 
have  earned  some  suspicion  by  an  interest  in  fortune-telling  (Records  of  Salem 
Witchcraft,  I.  235-253),  and,  though  she  confessed,  she  was  condemned;  but  she 
had  potent  friends.     "A  petition  is  sent  to  Town,"  says  Sewall  in  his  Diary  on 
September  21,  "in  behalf  of  Dorcas  Hoar,  who  now  confesses.     Accordingly  an 
order  is  sent  to  the  Sheriff  to  forbear  her  Execution."     "This  is,"  he  adds,  "the 
first  condemned  person  who  has  confess'd."     The  aged  Mrs.  Bradbury,  daughter 
of  John  Perkins  of  Ipswich  and  wife  of  Captain  Thomas  Bradbury  of  Salisbury, 
was  not  only  one  of  the  most  socially  eminent  but  one  of  the  most  venerated 
women  of  her  region,  and  her  arrest  enlisted  in  her  defence  the  public  sentiment 
of  all  the  district  (see  Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft,  II.  160-174).     She  was  aided 
to  escape  from  prison,  and  so  from  death. 

4  For  the  Andover  and  Topsfield  cases  reference  may  again  be  made  to  Mrs. 
Bailey's  Historical  Sketches  of  Andover  and  to  vol.  XIII.  of  tlrs  Collections  of  the 
Topsfield  Historical  Society  as  well  as  to  the  Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft.    The 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  367 

September  22,  viz.  Martha  Cory,  Mary  Easty,  Alice  Parker, 
Ann  Pudeater,  Margaret  Scot,  Willmet  Redd,  Samuel  Ward- 
well,  and  Mary  Parker. 

Giles  Cory  pleaded  not  Guilty  to  his  Indictment,  but  would 
not  put  himself  upon  Tryal  by  the  Jury  (they  having  cleared 
none  upon  Tryal)  and  knowing  there  would  be  the  same  Wit- 
nesses against  him,  rather  chose  to  undergo  what  Death  they 
would  put  him  to.  In  pressing  his  Tongue  being  prest  out 
of  his  Mouth,  the  Sheriff  with  his  Cane  forced  it  in  again, 
when  he  was  dying.  He  was  the  first  in  New-England,  that 
was  ever  prest  to  Death.1 

The  Cart  going  up  the  Hill  with  these  Eight  to  Execution, 
was  for  some  time  at  a  sett ;  the  afflicted  and  others  said,  that 
the  Devil  hindred  it,  etc. 

Martha  Cory,  Wife  to  Giles  Cory,  protesting  her  Inno- 
cency,  concluded  her  Life  with  an  Eminent  Prayer  upon  the 
Ladder. 

Wardwell  having  formerly  confessed  himself  Guilty,  and 
after  denied  it,  was  soon  brought  upon  his  Tryal;  his  former 
Confession  and  Spectre  Testimony  was  all  that  appeared 
against  him.  At  Execution  while  he  was  speaking  to  the  Peo- 
ple, protesting  his  Innocency,  the  Executioner  being  at  the 
same  time  smoaking  Tobacco,  the  smoak  coming  in  his  Face, 
interrupted  his  Discourse,  those  Accusers  said,  the  Devil  hin- 
dred him  with  smoak. 

Mary  Easty,  Sister  also  to  Rebecka  Nurse,  when  she  took 

papers  as  to  Wilmot  Redd,  or  Reed,  are  in  the  Records  (II.  97-106);  Margaret 
Scott's  seem  lost.  The  examinations  of  Mary  Lacy  and  Ann  Foster  should  be 
studied  in  Hutchinson's  chapter  as  well  as  in  the  Records  (II.  135-142),  and  see 
also  p.  244,  above,  and  pp.  418-419,  below. 

1  This  was,  of  course,  the  old  English  "peine  forte  et  dure"  for  those  who,  in 
cases  of  petty  treason  or  of  felony,  will  not  "put  themselves  upon  the  country," 
or,  as  Coke  has  it,  "when  the  offender  standeth  mute,  and  refuseth  to  be  tryed 
by  the  common  law  of  the  land."  (See  Pollock  and  Maitland,  History  of  English 
Law,  second  ed.,  II.  650-652.)  Whether  in  Giles  Corey's  case  this  was  mere 
proud  protest  or  had  some  ulterior  end  is  not  yet  clear.  The  theory  that  he  hoped 
thereby  to  save  himself  from  attainder  and  preserve  his  right  to  bequeath  his 
property  has  been  learnedly  contested  by  G.  H.  Motore  (see  especially  his  Final 
Notes  on  Witchcraft  in  Massachusetts,  New  York,  1885,  pp.  40-59).  As  to  Giles 
Corey  see  also  p.  250,  above,  and  Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft,  II.  175-180.  The 
missing  report  of  his  examination  is  printed  at  the  end  of  Calef's  book  in  the 
editions  of  1823,  1861,  and  1866. 


368         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

her  last  farewell  of  her  Husband,  Children  and  Friends,  was, 
as  is  reported  by  them  present,  as  Serious,  Religious,  Distinct, 
and  Affectionate  as  could  well  be  exprest,  drawing  Tears  from 
the  Eyes  of  almost  all  present.  It  seems  besides  the  Testi- 
mony of  the  Accusers  and  Confessors,  another  proof,  as  it  was 
counted,  appeared  against  her,  it  having  been  usual  to  search 
the  Accused  for  Tets;  upon  some  parts  of  her  Body,  not  here 
to  be  named,  was  found  an  Excrescence,  which  they  called  a 
Tet.  Before  her  Death  she  put  up  the  following  Petition: 

To  the  Honorable  Judge  and  Bench  now  sitting  in  Judicature  in 
Salem  and  the  Reverend  Ministers,  humbly  sheweth,  That  whereas 
your  humble  poor  Petitioner  being  Condemned  to  die,  doth  humbly 
beg  of  you,  to  take  it  into  your  Judicious  and  Pious  Consideration, 
that  your  poor  and  humble  Petitioner  knowing  my  own  Innocency 
(blessed  be  the  Lord  for  it)  and  seeing  plainly  the  Wiles  and  Subtilty 
of  my  Accusers,  by  my  self,  cannot  but  judge  charitably  of  others, 
that  are  going  the  same  way  with  my  self,  if  the  Lord  step  not 
mightily  in.  I  was  confined  a  whole  Month  on  the  same  account 
that  I  am  now  condemned  for,  and  then  cleared  by  the  Afflicted  per- 
sons, as  some  of  your  Honours  know,  and  in  two  days  time  I  was 
cried  out  upon  by  them,  and  have  been  confined,  and  now  am  con- 
demned to  die.  The  Lord  above  knows  my  Innocency  then,  and 
likewise  doth  now,  as  at  the  great  day  will  be  known  to  Men  and 
Angels.  I  Petition  to  your  Honours  not  for  my  own  Life,  for  I  know 
I  must  die,  and  my  appointed  time  is  set;  but  the  Lord  he  knows  it 
is,  if  it  be  possible,  that  no  more  Innocent  Blood  be  shed,  which  un- 
doubtedly cannot  be  avoided  in  the  way  and  course  you  go  in.  I 
question  not,  but  your  Honours  do  to  the  utmost  of  your  powers, 
in  the  discovery  and  detecting  of  Witchcraft  and  Witches,  and  would 
not  be  guilty  of  Innocent  Blood  for  the  World;  but  by  my  own 
Innocency  I  know  you  are  in  the  wrong  way.  The  Lord  in  his  in- 
finite Mercy  direct  you  in  this  great  work,  if  it  be  his  blessed  will, 
that  Innocent  Blood  be  not  shed;  I  would  humbly  beg  of  you,  that 
your  Honours  would  be  pleased  to  Examine  some  of  those  confess- 
ing Witches,  I  being  confident  there  are  several  of  them  have  belyed 
themselves  and  others,  as  will  appear,  if  not  in  this  World,  I  am  sure 
in  the  World  to  come,  whither  I  am  going;  and  I  question  not,  but 
your  selves  will  see  an  alteration  in  these  things :  They  say,  my  self 
and  others  have  made  a  league  with  the  Devil,  we  cannot  confess. 
I  know  and  the  Lord  he  knows  (as  will  shortly  appear)  they  belye 
me,  and  so  I  question  not  but  they  do  others;  the  Lord  alone,  who 
is  the  searcher  of  all  hearts,  knows  that  as  I  shall  answer  it  at  the 


**Z~>/¥9.J&*S»i% 

•A^   «''*•>?    i>^  A.  -^£t 


*»**$|<  {c*~)  &«'< 

y*  "J  /C? 
,  /u-'ic ff {'nejt te-tukFff 


PETITION  OF  MARY  ESTY 

From  the  original  at  the  Essex  County  Court  House,  Salem. 
(The  lower  part  of  the  plate  shows  the  conclusion  of  the 
petition,  on  the  reverse  of  the  page) 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  369 

Tribunal  Seat,  that  I  know  not  the  least  thing  of  Witchcraft,  there- 
fore I  cannot,  I  durst  not  belye  my  own  Soul.  I  beg  your  Honours 
not  to  deny  this  my  humble  Petition,  from  a  poor  dying  Innocent 
person,  and  I  question  not  but  the  Lord  will  give  a  blessing  to  your 
Endeavours.  MARY  ESTY. 

After  Execution  Mr.  Noyes  turning  him  to  the  Bodies, 
said,  what  a  sad  thing  it  is  to  see  Eight  Firebrands  of  Hell 
hanging  there. 

In  October  1692,  One  of  Wenham1  complained  of  Mrs. 
Hale,  whose  Husband,  the  Minister  of  Beverly,  had  been  very- 
forward  in  these  Prosecutions,  but  being  fully  satisfied  of  his 
Wives  sincere  Christianity,  caused  him  to  alter  his  Judgment; 
for  it  was  come  to  a  stated  Controversie,  among  the  New- 
England  Divines,  whether  the  Devil  could  Afflict  in  a  good 
Man's  shape;  it  seems  nothing  else  could  convince  him:  yet 
when  it  came  so  near  to  himself,  he  was  soon  convinc'd  that 
the  Devil  might  so  Afflict.2  Which  same  reason  did  after- 

1  Mary  Herrick.     At  least  the  following  remarkable  tale  of  hers  (first  pub- 
lished in  the  N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen.  Register,  XXVII.  55)  must  have  had  to  do  with 
Mr.  Hale's  change  of  view: 

"An  Account  Received  from  the  mouth  of  Mary  Herrick  aged  about  17 
yeares  having  been  Afflicted  [by]  the  Devill  or  some  of  his  instruments,  about  2 
month.  She  saith  she  had  oft  been  Afflicted  and  that  the  shape  of  Mrs.  Hayle 
had  been  represented  to  her,  One  amongst  others,  but  she  knew  not  what  hand 
Afflicted  her  then,  but  on  the  5th  of  the  9th  [i.  e.,  November]  She  Appeared  again 
with  the  Ghost  of  Gooddee  Easty,  and  that  then  Mrs.  Hayle  did  sorely  Afflict 
her  by  pinching,  pricking  and  Choaking  her.  On  the  12th  of  the  9th  she  Came 
again  and  Gooddee  Easty  with  her  and  then  Mrs.  Hayle  did  Afflict  her  as  formerly. 
Sd  Easty  made  as  if  she  would  speake  but  did  not,  but  on  the  same  night  they 
Came  again  and  Mrs.  Hayle  did  sorely  Afflict  her,  and  asked  her  if  she  thought 
she  was  a  Witch.  The  Girl  answered  no,  You  be  the  Devill.  Then  said  Easty 
sd  and  speake,  She  Came  to  tell  her  She  had  been  put  to  Death  wrongfully  and 
was  Innocent  of  Witchcraft,  and  she  Came  to  Vindicate  her  Cause  and  she  Cryed 
Vengeance,  Vengeance,  and  bid  her  reveal  this  to  Mr.  Hayle  and  Gerish,  and  then 
she  would  rise  no  more,  nor  should  Mrs.  Hayle  Afflict  her  any  more.  Memorand : 
that  Just  before  sd  Easty  was  Executed,  She  Appeared  to  sd  Girl,  and  said  I 
am  going  upon  the  Ladder  to  be  hanged  for  a  Witch,  but  I  am  innocent,  and  be- 
fore a  12  Month  be  past  you  shall  believe  it.  Sd  Girl  sd  she  speake  not  of  this 
before  because  she  believed  she  was  Guilty,  Till  Mrs.  Hayle  appeared  to  her  and 
Afflicted  her,  but  now  she  believeth  it  is  all  a  Delusion  of  the  Devil. 
"This  before  Mr.  Hayle  and  Gerish  14th  of  the  9th  1692." 
"Gerish"  means  the  Rev.  Joseph  Gerrish,  of  Wenham,  who  is  doubtless  here 
the  scribe. 

2  But  see  (at  pp.  404,  405,  below)  Hale's  own  account  of  this  change  of  view. 


370         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

wards  prevail  with  many  others;  and  much  influenced  to  the 
succeeding  change  at  Tryals.1 

October  7.  (Edward  Bishop  and  his  Wife  having  made 
their  Escape  out  of  Prison)  this  day  Mr.  Corwin  the  Sheriff, 
came  and  Seiz'd  his  Goods,  and  Cattle,  and  had  it  not  been 
for  his  second  Son  (who  borrowed  Ten  Pound  and  gave  it  him) 
they  had  been  wholly  lost,  the  Receipt  follows;  but  it  seems 
they  must  be  content  with  such  a  Receipt  as  he  would  give 
them. 

Received  this  7th  day  of  October  1692,  of  Samuel  Bishop  of  the 
Town  of  Salem,  of  the  County  of  Essex,  in  New-England,  Cordwainer, 
in  full  satisfaction,  a  valuable  Summ  of  Money,  for  the  Goods  and 
Chattels  of  Edward  Bishop,  Senior,  of  the  Town  and  County  afore- 
said, Husbandman;  which  Goods  and  Chattels  being  seized,  for  that 
the  said  Edward  Bishop,  and  Sarah  his  Wife,  having  been  committed 
for  Witchcraft  and  Felony,  have  made  their  Escape;  and  their  Goods 
and  Chatties  were  forfeited  unto  their  Majesties,  and  now  being  in 
Possession  of  the  said  Samuel  Bishop;  and  in  behalf  of  Their  Majes- 
ties, I  do  hereby  discharge  the  said  Goods  and  Chatties,  the  day  and 
year  above  written,  as  witness  my  hand, 

GEORGE  CORWIN,  Sheriff. 

But  before  this  the  said  Bishops  Eldest  Son,  having  Mar- 
ried into  that  Family  of  the  Putmans,2  who  were  chief  Prose- 
cutors in  this  business;  he  holding  a  Cow  to  be  branded  lest 
it  should  be  seiz'd,  and  having  a  Push  or  Boyl  upon  his  Thigh, 
with  his  straining  it  broke;  this  is  that  that  was  pretended  to 
be  burnt  with  the  said  Brand;  and  is  one  of  the  bones  thrown 
to  the  Dogmatical  to  pick,  in  Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World, 
P.  143. 3  the  other,  of  a  Corner  of  a  Sheet,  pretended  to  be  taken 
from  a  Spectre,  it  is  known  that  it  was  provided  the  day  before, 
by  that  Afflicted  person,  and  the  third  bone  of  a  Spindle  is 
almost  as  easily  provided,  as  the  piece  of  the  Knife;  so  that 
Apollo  needs  not  herein  be  consulted,4  etc. 

1  Hole's  whole  book  (see  below,  pp.  397-432)  is  a  commentary  on  this  passage. 

1  His  wife  was  a  daughter  of  John  Putnam,  brother  of  Nathaniel  and  uncle 
of  Deacon  Edward  and  of  the  Thomas  whose  wife  and  daughter  were  of  the 
"afflicted."  As  to  the  Bishops  see  (besides  Upham)  Essex  Institute  Collections, 
XLII.  146  ff. 

a  At  pp.  247-248,  above. 

4  /.  e.,  it  needs  no  oracle  to  explain  the  matter;  see  p.  248,  note  1. 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  371 

Mr.  Philip  English  and  his  Wife  having  made  their  Escape 
out  of  Prison,  Mr.  Corwin  the  Sheriff  seiz'd  his  Estate,  to  the 
value  of  about  Fifteen  Hundred  Pound,  which  was  wholly 
lost  to  him,  except  about  Three  Hundred  Pound  value,  (which 
was  afterward  restored.)1 

After  Goodwife  Hoar  was  Condemned,  her  Estate  was  seiz'd, 
and  was  also  bought  again  for  Eight  Pound. 

George  Jacobs,  Son  to  old  Jacobs,2  being  accused,  he  fled, 
then  the  Officers  came  to  his  House,  his  Wife  was  a  Woman 
Crazy  in  her  Senses  and  had  been  so  several  Years.  She  it 
seems  had  been  also  accused;  there  were  in  the  House  with 
her  only  four  small  Children,  and  one  of  them  suck'd,  her 
Eldest  Daughter3  being  in  Prison;  the  Officer  perswaded 
her  out  of  the  House,  to  go  along  with  him,  telling  her  she 
should  speedily  return,  the  Children  ran  a  great  way  after 
her  crying. 

When  she  came  where  the  Afflicted  were,  being  asked,  they 
said  they  did  not  know  her,  at  length  one  said,  don't  you  know 
Jacobs  the  old  Witch,  and  then  they  cry'd  out  of  her,  and  fell 
down  in  their  Fits;  she  was  sent  to  Prison,  and  lay  there  Ten 
Months,  the  Neighbours  of  pitty  took  care  of  the  Children 
to  preserve  them  from  perishing. 

About  this  time  a  New  Scene  was  begun,  one  Joseph  Bal- 
lard  of  Andover,  whose  Wife  was  ill  (and  after  died  of  a  Fever) 
sent  to  Salem  for  some  of  those  Accusers,  to  tell  him  who  * 

1  Philip  English  was  the  foremost  ship-owner  of  Salem,  a  man  of  large  wealth; 
and  exceptional  prominence.  He  had  come  in  early  life  from  the  island  of  Jersey 
and  at  Salem  had  married,  in  1675,  the  daughter  and  heiress  of  the  merchant 
William  Hollingworth.  His  wife,  now  thirty-nine,  a  lady  of  education  and  re- 
finement, was  arrested  on  April  22  (see  p.  347,  above)  and  on  April  30  a  warrant 
was  issued  for  himself,  but  he  could  not  be  found.  Detected,  however,  in  his 
Boston  hiding-place,  he  was  on  May  31  committed,  but  was  allowed  to  give  bail, 
and  with  his  wife  was  kept  in  loose  custody  at  Boston.  As  to  their  escape  thence, 
see  above,  pp.  178,  186,  note  3;  and  for  their  story  in  general  the  articles  by 
G.  F.  Chever  in  the  Essex  Institute's  Collections,  I.,  II.,  Salem  Witchcraft  Records, 
I.  189-193,  the  evidence  of  William  Beale  appended  by  Drake  to  his  ed.  of 
Mather  and  Calef  (III.  177-185),  the  documents  printed  in  the  Publications  of  the 
Colonial  Society  of  Massachusetts,  X.  17-20,  a  letter  of  Dr.  Bentley  in  Mass. 
Hist.  Soc.,  Collections,  first  ser.,  X.  64-66,  and  a  passage  from  his  diary  quoted  , 
by  R.  D.  Paine  in  The  Ships  and  Sailors  of  Old  Salem  (New  York,  1909),  pp.  '  — 
26-28. 

8  See  above,  pp.  360,  364.  *  Margaret.    See  pp.  364-366. 


372         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

afflicted  his  Wife;  others  did  the  like:  Horse  and  Man  were 
sent  from  several  places  to  fetch  those  Accusers  who  had  the 
Spectral  sight,  that  they  might  thereby  tell  who  afflicted  those 
that  were  any  ways  ill. 

When  these  came  into  any  place  where  such  were,  usually 
they  fell  into  a  Fit;  after  which  being  asked  who  it  was  that 
afflicted  the  person,  they  would,  for  the  most  part,  name  one 
whom  they  said  sat  on  the  head,  and  another  that  sat  on  the 
lower  parts  of  the  afflicted.  Soon  after  Ballard's  sending  (as 
above)  more  than  Fifty  of  the  People  of  Andover  were  com- 
plained of,  for  afflicting  their  Neighbours.  Here  it  was  that 
many  accused  themselves,  of  Riding  upon  Poles  through  the 
Air;  Many  Parents  believing  their  Children  to  be  Witches, 
and  many  Husbands  their  Wives,  etc.  When  these  Accusers 
came  to  the  House  of  any  upon  such  account,  it  was  ordinary 
for  other  young  People  to  be  taken  in  Fits,  and  to  have  the 
same  Spectral  sight. 

Mr.  Dudley  Bradstreet,1  a  Justice  of  Peace  in  Andover, 
having  granted  out  Warrants  against,  and  Committed  Thirty 
or  Forty  to  Prisons,  for  the  supposed  Witchcrafts,  at  length 
saw  cause  to  forbear  granting  out  any  more  Warrants.  Soon 
after  which  he  and  his  Wife  were  cried  out  of,  himself  was  (by 
them)  said  to  have  killed  Nine  persons  by  Witchcraft,  and 
found  it  his  safest  course  to  make  his  Escape. 

A  Dog  being  afflicted  at  Salem- Village,  those  that  had  the 
Spectral  sight  being  sent  for,  they  accused  Mr.  John  Brad- 
street  (Brother  to  the  Justice)  that  he  afflicted  the  said  Dog, 
and  now  rid  upon  him :  He  made  his  Escape  into  Pescattequa- 
Government,2  and  the  Dog  was  put  to  death,  and  was  all  of 
the  Afflicted  that  suffered  death. 

At  Andover,  the  Afflicted  complained  of  a  Dog,  as  afflict- 
ing of  them,  and  would  fall  into  their  Fits  at  the  Dogs  look- 
ing upon  them;  the  Dog  was  put  to  death. 

A  worthy  Gentleman  of  Boston,  being  about  this  time  ac- 
cused by  those  at  Andover,  he  sent  by  some  particular  Friends 
a  Writ  to  Arrest  those  Accusers  in  a  Thousand  Pound  Action 
for  Defamation,  with  instructions  to  them,  to  inform  themselves 
of  the  certainty  of  the  proof,  in  doing  which  their  business  was 

1 A  son  of  the  venerable  Governor  Bradstreet  and  himself  a  man  of  station. 
1  /.  e.,  New  Hampshire. 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  373 

perceived,  and  from  thence  forward  the  Accusations  at  Andover 
generally  ceased.1 

In  October  some  of  these  Accusers  were  sent  for  to  Glocester, 
and  occasioned  four  Women  to  be  sent  to  Prison,  but  Salem 
Prison  being  so  full  it  could  receive  no  more,  two  were  sent 
to  Ipswich  Prison.  In  November  they  were  sent  for  again 
by  Lieutenant  Stephens,  who  was  told  that  a  Sister  of  his  was 
bewitched;  in  their  way  passing  over  Ipswich-bridge,  they 
met  with  an  old  Woman,  and  instantly  fell  into  their  Fits: 
But  by  this  time  the  validity  of  such  Accusations  being  much 
questioned,  they  found  not  that  Encouragement  they  had 
done  elsewhere,  and  soon  withdrew. 

These  Accusers  swore  that  they  saw  three  persons  sitting 
upon  Lieutenant  Stephens's  Sister  till  she  died;  yet  Bond  was 
accepted  for  those  Three. 

And  now  Nineteen  persons  having  been  hang'd,  and  one 
prest  to  death,  and  Eight  more  condemned,  in  all  Twenty  and 
Eight,  of  which  above  a  third  part  were  Members  of  some  of 
the  Churches  in  N.  England,  and  more  than  half  of  them  of  a 
good  Conversation  in  general,  and  not  one  clear'd;  About 
Fifty  having  confest  themselves  to  be  Witches,  of  which  not 
one  Executed;  above  an  Hundred  and  Fifty  in  Prison,  and 
above  Two  Hundred  more  accused;  The  Special  Commission 
of  Oyer  and  Terminer  comes  to  a  period,2  which  has  no  other 
foundation  than  the  Governours  Commission,3  and  had  pro- 
ceeded in  the  manner  of  swearing  Witnesses,  viz.  By  holding 
up  the  hand,  (and  by  receiving  Evidences  in  writing)  accord- 
ing to  the  Ancient  Usage  of  this  Countrey;  as  also  having 
then*  Indictments  in  English.  In  the  Tryals,  when  any  were 
Indicted  for  Afflicting,  Pining,  and  wasting  the  Bodies  of  par- 
ticular persons  by  Witchcraft;  it  was  usual  to  hear  Evidence 
of  matter  foreign,  and  of  perhaps  Twenty  or  Thirty  years 
standing,  about  over-setting  Carts,  the  death  of  Cattle,  un- 

1  On  this  Andover  episode  see  also  pp.  180—181,  241-244,  above. 

2  Its  last  session  was  on  September  22,  though  the  court  was  not  definitely 
dropped  till  the  end  of  October.     See  above,  p.  200  and  note  1. 

3  The  implication  perhaps  is  that  the  governor  exceeded  his  powers.     That 
question  has  been  much  and  hotly  debated — most  learnedly  by  Mr.  A.  C.  Goodell 
in  his  Further  Notes  on  the  History  of  Witchcraft  in  Massachusetts  (Cambridge, 
1884),  pp.  20  ff.,  and  Dr.  G.  H.  Moore  in  his  Final  Notes  on  Witchcraft  in  Massa- 
chusetts (New  York,  1885),  pp.  71-84. 


374         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

kindness  to  Relations,  or  unexpected  Accidents  befalling  after 
some  quarrel.  Whether  this  was  admitted  by  the  Law  of 
England,  or  by  what  other  Law,  wants  to  be  determined;  the 
Executions  seemed  mixt,  in  pressing  to  death  for  not  pleading, 
which  most  agrees  with  the  Laws  of  England,  and  Sentencing 
Women  to  be  hanged  for  Witchcraft,  according  to  the  former 
practice  of  this  Country,  and  not  by  burning,  as  is  said  to 
have  been  the  Law  of  England.1  And  though  the  confessing 
Witches  were  many;  yet  not  one  of  them  that  confessed  their 
own  guilt,  and  abode  by  their  Confession  were  put  to  Death.2 
Here  followeth  what  account  some  of  those  miserable 
Creatures  give  of  their  Confession  under  their  own  hands. 

We  whose  Names  are  under  written,  Inhabitants  of  Andover, 
when  as  that  horrible  and  tremendous  Judgment  beginning  at  Salem- 
Village,  in  the  Year  1692,  (by  some)  call'd  Witchcraft,  first  breaking 
forth  at  Mr.  Parris's  House,  several  Young  persons  being  seemingly 
afflicted,  did  accuse  several  persons  for  afflicting  them,  and  many 
there  believing  it  so  to  be;  we  being  informed  that  if  a  person  were 
sick,  that  the  afflicted  persons  could  tell,  what  or  who  was  the  cause 
of  that  sickness.  -;  Joseph  Ballard  of  Andover  (his  Wife  being  sick  at 
the  same  time)  he  either  from  himself,  or  by  the  advice  of  others, 
fetch'd  two  of  the  persons  call'd  the  afflicted  persons,  from  Salem- 
Village  to  Andover.  Which  was  the  beginning  of  that  dreadful 
Calamity  that  bef el  us  in  Andover. ;  And  the  Authority  in  Andover, 
believing  the  said  Accusations  to  be  true,  sent  for  the  said  persons  to 
come  together,  to  the  Meeting-house  in  Andover  (the  afflicted  per- 

1  This  is  an  error.  In  England,  too,  witches  were  hanged — unless  convicted 
of  bewitching  to  death  their  husbands,  when  for  husband-murder,  "petty  treason," 
they  were  burned  (see  Coke,  Institutes,  pt.  III.,  cap.  2,  6,  101,  and  the  records 
of  the  courts).  Sir  Matthew  Hale  indeed  makes  witchcraft  "at  Common  Law" 
still  "punished  with  death,  as  Heresie,  by  Writ  De  Haeretico  Comburendo"  (Pleas 
of  the  Crown,  p.  6).  But  this,  of  course,  was  after  trial  by  an  ecclesiastical  court; 
and  since  the  Reformation  ecclesiastical  courts  had  not  had  cognizance  of  such 
cases. 

1  This,  the  most  striking  feature  of  the  Salem  trials,  is  perhaps  partially  ex- 
plained by  the  closing  suggestion  of  Cotton  Mather's  advice  to  the  judges  (Mather 
Papers,  p.  396) :  "What  if  some  of  the  lesser  Criminalls  be  onely  scourged  with 
lesser  punishments,  and  also  put  upon  some  solemn,  open,  Publike  and  Explicitt 
renunciation  of  the  Divil?  ...  Or  what  if  the  death  of  some  of  the  offenders 
were  either  diverted  or  inflicted,  according  to  the  successe  of  such  their  renuncia- 
tion? "  If  it  was  unique  that  those  who  confessed  escaped  death,  it  was  nothing 
unique  that  they  should  be  reckoned  "lesser  Criminalls." 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  375 

sons  being  there.)  After  Mr.  Bernard *  had  been  at  Prayer,  we  were 
blindfolded,  and  our  hands  were  laid  upon  the  afflicted  persons,  they 
being  in  their  Fits,  and  falling  into  their  Fits  at  our  coming  into  their 
presence  (as  they  said)  and  some  led  us  and  laid  our  hands  upon  them, 
and  then  they  said  they  were  well,  and  that  we  were  guilty  of  afflict- 
ing of  them;  whereupon  we  were  all  seized  as  Prisoners,  by  a  Warrant 
from  the  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  forthwith  carried  to  Salem.  And 
by  reason  of  that  suddain  surprizal,  we  knowing  our  selves  altogether 
Innocent  of  that  Crime,  we  were  all  exceedingly  astonished  and 
amazed,  and  consternated  and  affrighted  even  out  of  our  Reason; 
and  our  nearest  and  dearest  Relations,  seeing  us  in  that  dreadful 
condition,  and  knowing  our  great  danger,  apprehending  that  there 
was  no  other  way  to  save  our  lives,  as  the  case  was  then  circumstanti- 
ated, but  by  our  confessing  our  selves  to  be  such  and  such  persons, 
as  the  afflicted  represented  us  to  be,  they  out  of  tender  love  and  pitty 
perswaded  us  to  confess  what  we  did  confess.  And  indeed  that 
Confession,  that  is  said  we  made,  was  no  other  than  what  was  sug- 
gested to  us  by  some  Gentlemen;  they  telling  us,  that  we  were 
Witches,  and  they  knew  it,  and  we  knew  it,  and  they  knew  that  we 
knew  it,  which  made  us  think  that  it  wras  so;  and  our  understanding, 
our  reason,  and  our  faculties  almost  gone,  we  were  not  capable  of 
judging  our  condition;  as  also  the  hard  measures  they  used  writh  us, 
rendred  us  uncapable  of  making  our  Defence;  but  said  any  thing  and 
every  thing  which  they  desired,  and  most  of  what  we  said,  was  but 
in  effect  a  consenting  to  what  they  said.  Sometime  after  when  we 
were  better  composed,  they  telling  of  us  what  we  had  confessed,  we 
did  profess  that  we  were  Innocent,  and  Ignorant  of  such  things. 
And  we  hearing  that  Samuel  Wardwell  had  renounced  his  Confession, 
and  quickly  after  Condemned  and  Executed,  some  of  us  were  told 
that  we  were  going  after  Wardwell. 

MARY  OSGOOD,  MARY  TILER,  DELIV.  DANE,  ABIGAIL 
BARKER,  SARAH  WILSON,  HANNAH  TiLER.2 

It  may  here  be  further  added  concerning  those  that  did 
Confess,  that  besides  that  powerful  Argument,  of  Life  (and 

lfThe  Rev.  Thomas  Barnard,  associate  minister  at  Andover.  Dane,  his 
senior,  seems  to  have  been  averse  to  the  proceedings. 

2  This  is  doubtless  what  Brattle  calls  (p.  189,  above)  "a  petition  lately  offered 
to  the  chief  Judge."  The  examination  and  confession  of  Mary  Osgood  may  be 
found  in  Hutchinson's  Massachusetts,  II.  ch.  I.  (or  in  Poole's  reprint,  N.  E.  Hist, 
and  Gen.  Register,  XXIV.  398).  She,  the  two  Tylers,  and  Abigail  Barker  were 
tried  and  acquitted  in  January  at  the  first  session  of  the  new  Superior  Court 
(see  in  vol.  X.  of  the  Publications  of  the  Colonial  Society  of  Massachusetts  the 
brief  but  valuable  paper  of  John  Noble,  pp.  12-26). 


376         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

freedom  from  hardships  and  Irons  not  only  promised,  but  also 
performed  to  all  that  owned  their  guilt),  There  are  numerous 
Instances,  too  many  to  be  here  inserted,  of  the  tedious  Exami- 
nations before  private  persons,  many  hours  together;  they  all 
that  time  urging  them  to  Confess  (and  taking  turns  to  per- 
swade  them)  till  the  accused  were  wearied  out  by  being  forced 
to  stand  so  long,  or  for  want  of  Sleep,  etc.  and  so  brought  to 
give  an  Assent  to  what  they  said;  they  then  asking  them, 
Were  you  at  such  a  Witch-meeting,  or  have  you  signed  the 
Devil's  Book,  etc.  upon  their  replying,  yes,  the  whole  was 
drawn  into  form  as  their  Confession. 

But  that  which  did  mightily  further  such  Confessions,  was 
their  nearest  and  dearest  Relations  urging  them  to  it.  j  These 
seeing  no  other  way  of  escape  for  them,  thought  it  the  best 
advice  that  could  be  given;  hence  it  was  that  the  Husbands 
of  some,  by  counsel  often  urging,  and  utmost  earnestness,  and 
Children  upon  their  Knees  intreating,  have  at  length  prevailed 
with  them,  to  say  they  were  guilty.1 

As  to  the  manner  of  Tryals,  and  the  Evidence  taken  for 
Convictions  at  Salem,  it  is  already  set  forth  in  Print,  by  the 

1  The  best  commentary  on  these  words  is  a  remarkable  paper  which  more 
than  a  century  ago  came  into  the  hands  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society 
and  was  published  in  its  Collections  (second  series,  III.  221-225).  As  Dr.  Bel- 
knap,  who  prepared  it  for  publication,  labelled  it  "Remainder  of  the  account  of 
the  Salem  Witchcraft"  and  seems  to  have  meant  it  to  be  printed  with  Brattle's 
letter  (see  pp.  169-190,  above),  it  is  not  improbable  that,  with  that  document, 
it  had  come  from  the  family  of  Brattle  and  that  it  was  originally  his.  In  that 
case  it  is  by  no  means  impossible  that  in  his  hands  Calef  may  have  seen  it  and 
that  from  him  he  may  have  received  the  recantation  printed  just  above.  The 
added  paper  runs : 

"Salem,  Oct.  19,  '92.  The  Rev.  Mr.  I.  Mather  went  to  Salem  [to  visit]  the 
confessours  (so  called) :  He  conferred  with  several  of  them,  and  they  spake  as 
follows:" 

[Then  are  narrated  the  explanations  given  by  eleven  of  the  women,  the  most 
suggestive  being  this :]  "Goodwife  Tyler  did  say,  that  when  she  was  first  appre- 
hended, she  had  no  fears  upon  her,  and  did  think  that  nothing  could  have  made 
her  confesse  against  herself;  but  since,  she  had  found  to  her  great  grief,  that 
she  had  wronged  the  truth,  and  falsely  accused  herself :  she  said,  that  when  she 
was  brought  to  Salem,  her  brother  Bridges  rode  with  her,  and  that  all  along  the 
way  from  Andover  to  Salem,  her  brother  kept  telling  her  that  she  must  needs 
be  a  witch,  since  the  afflicted  accused  her,  and  at  her  touch  were  raised  out  of 
their  fitts,  and  urging  her  to  confess  herself  a  witch;  she  as  constantly  told  him, 


CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  377 

Reverend  Mr.  Cotton  Mather,  in  his  Wonders  of  the  Invisible 
World,  at  the  Command  of  his  Excellency,  Sir  William  Phips ; 
with  not  only  the  Recommendation,  but  thanks  of  the  Lieu- 
tenant Governour;1  and  with  the  Approbation  of  the  Rev- 
erend Mr.  J.  M.2  in  his  Postscript  to  his  Cases  of  Conscience ; 

that  she  was  no  witch,  that  she  knew  nothing  of  witchcraft,  and  begg'd  of  him 
not  to  urge  her  to  confesse;  however  when  she  came  to  Salem,  she  was  carried  to 
a  room,  where  her  brother  on  one  side  and  Mr.  John  Emerson  on  the  other  side 
did  tell  her  that  she  was  certainly  a  witch,  and  that  she  saw  the  devill  before  her 
eyes  at  that  time  (and  accordingly  the  said  Emerson  would  attempt  with  his  hand 
to  beat  him  away  from  her  eyes)  and  they  so  urged  her  to  confesse,  that  she  wished 
herself  in  any  dungeon,  rather  than  be  so  treated :  Mr.  Emerson  told  her  once 
and  again,  Well!  I  see  you  will  not  confesse!  Well!  I  will  now  leave  you,  and 
then  you  are  undone,  body  and  soul  forever :  Her  brother  urged  her  to  confesse, 
and  told  her  that  in  so  doing  she  could  not  lye;  to  which  she  answered,  Good 
brother,  do  not  say  so,  for  I  shall  lye  if  I  confesse,  and  then  who  shall  answer 
unto  God  for  my  lye?  He  still  asserted  it,  and  said  that  God  would  not  suffer 
so  many  good  men  to  be  in  such  an  errour  about  it,  and  that  she  would  be 
hang'd,  if  she  did  not  confesse,  and  continued  so  long  and  so  violently  to  urge 
and  presse  her  to  confesse,  that  she  thought  verily  her  life  would  have  gone 
from  her,  and  became  so  terrifyed  in  her  mind,  that  she  own'd  at  length  almost 
any  thing  that  they  propounded  to  her;  but  she  had  wronged  her  conscience  in 
so  doing,  she  was  guilty  of  a  great  sin  in  belying  of  herself,  and  desired  to  mourn 
for  it  as  long  as  she  lived :  This  she  said  and  a  great  deal  more  of  the  like 
nature,  and  all  of  it  with  such  affection,  sorrow,  relenting,  grief,  and  mourning 
as  that  it  exceeds  any  pen  for  to  describe  and  expresse  the  same." 

The  "Mr.  John  Emerson"  of  this  episode  was  that  clerical  schoolmaster 
whom  we  have  already  met  in  New  Hampshire  (see  p.  37,  note  3),  but  who  was 
now  a  teacher  at  Charlestown.  (Sibley,  Harvard  Graduates,  II.  471-474.)  If  so 
personal  an  activity  of  President  Mather  surprise,  let  it  be  remembered  how 
widely  the  persecution  was  now  striking.  His  parishioner  Lady  Phips  was 
among  the  accused,  and  the  Quaker  John  Whiting  has  a  yet  more  startling  sug- 
gestion: commenting  in  1702  on  the  account  just  printed  in  Cotton  Mather's 
Magnolia,  he  mentions  the  "two  Hundred  more  accused,  some  of  which  of 
great  Estates  in  Boston,"  and  in  the  margin  adds,  "Query,  Was  not  the  Gover- 
nour's  Wife,  and  C.  M.'s  Mother,  some  of  them?"  (Truth  and  Innocency  De- 
fended, p.  140.) 

Yet  not  all  dared  to  retract.  "More  than  one  or  two  of  those  now  in  Prison," 
writes  Increase  Mather  (Cases  of  Conscience,  Postscript),  "have  freely  and  credi- 
bly acknowledged  their  Communion  and  Familiarity  with  the  Spirits  of  Darkness; 
and  have  also  declared  unto  me  the  Time  and  Occasion,  with  the  particular 
Circumstances  of  their  Hellish  Obligations  and  Abominations." 

1  For  Cotton  Mather's  Wonders,  with  its  imprimatur  by  Phips  and  its  preface 
by  Stoughton,  see  above,  pp.  205  ff. 

2  Increase  Mather :   the  printer  seems  unable  to  distinguish  Calef 's  /  from 
his,/. 


378         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

whicMast  Book  was  set  forth  by  the  consent  of  the  Ministers 
in  and  near  Boston.1 

Two  of  the  Judges  have  also  given  their  Sentiments  in 
these  words,  p.  147. 

The  Reverend  and  worthy  Author,  having  at  the  direction  of 
his  Excellency  the  Governour,  so  far  obliged  the  Publick,  as  to  give 
some  account  of  the  sufferings,  brought  upon  the  Countrey  by 
Witchcrafts,  and  of  the  Tryals  which  have  passed  upon  several  exe- 
cuted for  the  same. 

Upon  perusal  thereof,  We  find  the  matters  of  Fact  and  Evi- 
dence truly  reported,  and  a  prospect  given  of  the  Methods  of  Con- 
viction, used  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Court  at  Salem. 
BOSTON,  October  11,  WILLIAM  STOUGHTON, 

1692.  SAMUEL  SEWALL. 

And  considering  that  this  may  fall  into  the  hands  of  such 
as  never  saw  those  Wonders,  it  may  be  needful  to  transcribe 
i.he  whole  account  he  has  given  thereof,  without  any  variation 
(but  with  one  of  the  Indictments  annext  to  the  Tryal  of  each).2 

Thus  far  the  Account  given  in  Wonders  of  the  Invisible 
World',  in  which  setting  aside  such  words  as  these,  in  the 
Tryal  of  G.  B.  viz.,  "They  (i.  e.  the  Witnesses)  were  enough  to 
fix  the  character  of  a  Witch  upon  him."3 

In  the  Tryal  of  Bishop,  these  words,  "but  there  was  no 
need  of  them,"  i.  e.  of  further  Testimony.4 

In  the  Tryal  of  How,  where  it  is  said,  "and  there  came  in 
Testimony  of  preternatural  Mischiefs,  presently  befalling  some 
that  had  been  instrumental  to  debar  her  from  the  Communion, 
whereupon  she  was  intruding."6  Martin  is  call'd  "one  of 

lThe  book,  with  all  its  credulity,  is  in  the  main  a  vigorous  and  learned 
argument  against  improper  methods  for  detecting  witches,  and  chiefly  against 
reliance  on  the  testimony  of  the  bewitched.  Commended  by  the  ministers, 
fourteen  of  whom  sign  the  preface  "to  the  Christian  reader,"  it  may  have  done 
something  to  allay  the  panic.  But,  though  it  is  dated  by  the  author  "October 
3,"  the  title-page  date  of  1693  suggests  that,  like  his  son's  Wonders  (see  p.  207, 
note  1),  it  was  long  in  the  press  or  withheld  from  the  public. 

1  As  the  pages  of  Mather's  Wonders  containing  these  trials  are  reprinted  in 
full  above  (pp.  215-244),  it  is  needless  here  to  repeat  them.  They  occupy  pp. 
113-139  of  Calef's  book.  Then  comes  what  here  follows. 

•  See  p.  216.  •  See  p.  229.  6  See  p.  237. 


1692]  CALEF,   MORE  WONDERS  379 

the  most  impudent,  scurrilous,  wicked  Creatures  in  the  World." 
In  his  Account  of  Martha  Carryer,  he  is  pleased  to  call  her  "a 
Rampant  Hag,"  l  etc. 

These  Expressions,  as  they  manifest  that  he  wrote  more 
like  an  Advocate  than  an  Historian,2  so  also  that  those  that 
were  his  Imployers3  were  not  mistaken  in  their  choice  of  him 
for  that  work,  however  he  may  have  mist  it  in  other  things. 

As  in  his  owning  (in  the  Tryal  of  G.  B.)  That  the  Testi- 
mony of  the  bewitched  and  confessors  was  not  enough  against 
the  Accused,  for  it  is  known  that  not  only  in  New-England, 
such  Evidence  has  been  taken  for  sufficient,  but  also  in  En- 
gland, as  himself  there  owns,  and  will  also  hold  true  of  Scotland, 
etc.,  they  having  proceeded  upon  such  Evidence,  to  the  taking 
away  of  the  Lives  of  many,  to  assert  that  this  is  not  enough  is 
to  tell  the  World  that  such  Executions  were  but  so  many 
Bloody  Murders;  which  surely  was  not  his  intent  to  say. 

His  telling  that  the  Court  began  to  think  that  Burroughs 
stept  aside  to  put  on  invisibility,  is  a  rendring  them  so  mean 
Philosophers,  and  such  weak  Christians,  as  to  be  fit  to  be  im- 
posed upon  by  any  silly  pretender. 

His  calling  the  Evidence  against  How  trivial,  and  others 
against  Burroughs,  he  accounts  no  part  of  his  Conviction;  and 
that  of  lifting  a  Gun  with  one  Finger,  its  being  not  made  use 
of  as  Evidence,  renders  the  whole  but  the  more  perplext. 
(Not  to  mention  the  many  mistakes  therein  contain'd.)4 

Yet  all  this  (and  more  that  might  have  been  hinted  at) 
does  not  hinder,  but  that  his  Account  of  the  manner  of  Trials 
of  those  for  Witchcraft  is  as  faithfully  related  as  any  Tryals 
of  that  kind,  that  was  ever  yet  made  publick;5  and  it  may  also 

1  See  p.  244. 

2  The  author  had  himself  said,  "I  report  matters  not  as  an  Advocate,  but 
as  an  Historian." 

3  Phips,  Stoughton,  and  the  latter's  fellow-judges. 

4  As  to  the  insertion  in  Mather's  account  of  evidence  not  given  at  the  trial, 
and  as  to  his  errors  of  statement,  see  the  careful  analysis  of  Upham  in  his  "Salem 
Witchcraft  and  Cotton  Mather,"  pp.  46-48   (Historical  Magazine,  n.  s.,  VI. 
175-177). 

B  To  those  who  know  the  wretched  chap-books  which  have  had  to  serve  as 
records  of  the  English  witch-trials — and  these  alone  Calef  was  likely  to  know — 
this  will  not  seem  high  praise.  The  modern  student  can,  however,  compare  for 
himself  Mather's  accounts  with  the  court  records — and,  where  mere  transcription 
is  concerned,  will  find  them  faithful. 


380         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

be  reasonably  thought  that  there  was  as  careful  a  Scrutiny, 
and  as  unquestion'd  Evidences  improved,  as  had  been  formerly 
used  in  the  Tryals  of  others,  for  such  crimes  in  other  places. 
Tho  indeed  a  second  part  might  be  very  useful,  to  set  forth 
which  was  the  Evidence  Convictive  in  these  Tryals,  for  it  is 
not  supposed,  that  Roman  tick  or  Ridiculous  stories  should  have 
any  influence,  such  as  biting  a  Spectres  Finger,  so  that  the 
Blood  flowed  out,  or  such  as  Shattock's  Story  of  12  Years 
standing,  which  yet  was  presently  18  Years  or  more,  and  yet 
a  Man  of  that  excellent  Memory,  as  to  be  able  to  recall  a 
small  difference  his  Wife  had  with  another  Woman,  when 
Eighteen  Years  were  past.1 

4_  As  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  such  as  these  could  Influ- 
ence any  Judge  or  Jury,  so  not  unkindness  to  relations,  or 
God's  having  given  to  one  Man  more  strength  than  to  some 
others,  the  over-setting  of  Carts,  or  the  death  of  Cattle,  nor 
yet  Excrescencies  (calFd  Tets)  nor  little  bits  of  Rags  tied  to- 
gether (calTd  Poppets.)  Much  less  any  persons  illness,  or 
having  their  Cloaths  rent  when  a  Spectre  has  been  well  banged, 
much  less  the  burning  the  Mares  Fart,  mentioned  in  the 
Tryal  of  How.2 

None  of  these  being  in  the  least  capable  of  proving  the 
Indictment ;  The  supposed  Criminals  were  Indicted  for  Afflict- 
ing, etc.,  such  and  such  particular  persons  by  Witchcraft,]  to 
which  none  of  these  Evidences  have  one  word  to  say,  and  the 
Afflicted  and  Confessors  being  declared  not  enough,  the  matter 
needs  yet  further  explaining.3 

1  See  pp.  225-227.     Shattuck,  testifying  in  1692,  placed  in  1680  his  child's 
bewitchment,  but  "about  17  or  18  years  after"  the  exposure  of  the  witch. 

2  See  pp.  239-240. 

3  The  offense  charged,  in  the  indictments  printed  by  Calef,  was  that  the 
accused  "wickedly  and  feloniously  hath  used  certain  detestable  arts,  called  witch- 
crafts and  sorceries,  by  which  said  wicked  arts"  the  said  bewitched  "was  and  is 
tortured,  afflicted,  pined,  consumed,  wasted  and  tormented  against  the  peace  of 
our  sovereign  lord  and  lady,  the  King  and  Queen,  and  against  the  form  of  the 
statute  in  that  case  made  and  provided."     This  was  the  usual  form;  but  four  of 
the  indictments  extant  (against  Rebecca  Eames,  Samuel  Ward  well,  Rebecca 
Jacobs,  Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft,  II.  24,  143,  147-148,  and  William  Barker's, 
preserved  by  Chandler,  American  Criminal  Trials,  I.  429)  charge  instead  that 
the  accused  "wickedly  and  feloniously  a  covenant  with  the  Evil  Spirit  the  Devil 
did  make,"  and  in  two  of  these  "the  statute  of  King  James  the  First"  is  expressly 
named  as  contravened.    That  statute,  indeed,  punished  alike  with  death  those 


1692]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  381 

But  to  proceed,  the  General  Court  having  sat  and  enacted 
Laws,  particularly  one  against  Witchcraft,  assigning  the  Penalty 
of  Death  to  any  that  shall  feed,  reward  or  employ,  etc.,  Evil 
Spirits,  though  it  has  not  yet  been  explained  what  is  intended 
thereby,  or  what  it  is  to  feed,  reward  or  imploy  Devils,  etc., 
yet  some  of  the  Legislators  have  given  this  instead  of  an 
Explanation,  that  they  had  therein  but  Copied  the  Law  of 
another  Country.1 

who  should  "consult,  covenant  with,  entertain,  employ,  feed,  or  reward  any  evil 
or  wicked  spirit,"  and  the  laws  of  Massachusetts  made  it  death  "if  any  man  or 
woman  be  a  witch  (that  is,  hath  or  consulteth  with  a  familiar  spirit) " — without  a 
mention  of  harm  to  man  or  beast  as  element  of  the  crime.  That  the  indictments 
specify  such  harm  was  perhaps  only  because  the  public  attorney — Thomas  Newton 
(succeeded  on  July  26  by  Anthony  Checkley) — was  fresh  from  English  practice; 
but,  as  Calef  implies,  the  proof  should  meet  the  indictment.  Newton  (1660- 
1721)  had  come  to  Boston  in  1688.  Mr.  Goodell,  who  studied  the  originals,  says 
the  quoted  indictments  mentioning  the  English  statute  "appear  to  have  been 
drawn  in  blank  by  him,  and  afterwards  filled  in  by  Checkley"  (Further  Notes,  p. 
37).  As  to  Newton  see  the  study  of  Moore  (Fined  Notes,  pp.  94-103).  Edward 
Randolph  says  of  him  (V.  143)  that  he  was  "a  person  well  known  in  the  practice 
in  the  Courts  in  England  and  New  England,"  while  Checkley  he  calls  "a  man 
ignorant  in  the  Laws  of  England."  In  1691  Newton  had  been  attorney  general 
at  New  York. 

1  The  laws  of  the  colony  had  never  ceased  to  be  operative;  and  the  first  act 
passed  (June  15,  1692)  by  the  General  Court  under  the  new  charter  was  for  the 
continuance  of  these  laws,  "being  not  repugnant  to  the  laws  of  England  nor  in- 
consistent with  the  present  constitution,"  in  full  force  till  November  10.  On 
October  29  the  Court  passed  a  general  "act  for  the  punishing  of  capital  offenders," 
in  which  the  old  Massachusetts  law  as  to  witchcraft — "If  any  man  or  woman  be 
a  witch,  that  is,  hath  or  consulteth  with  a  familiar  spirit,  they  shall  be  put  to 
death" — retains  its  old  place  and  wording.  And  on  December  14,  "for  more 
particular  direction  in  the  execution  of  the  law  against  witchcraft,"  the  same 
General  Court  enacted  the  long  English  statute  of  1604  (1  James  I.,  cap.  12) — 
omitting  only  the  penalty  of  loss  of  "the  privilege  and  benefit  of  clergy  and  sanc- 
tuary" and  the  clauses  saving  dower  and  inheritance  to  widow  and  heir  of  the 
convicted  and  providing  that  peers  shall  be  tried  by  peers,  substituting  as  the 
place  of  pillorying  "some  shire  town"  for  "some  market  town  upon  the  market 
day  or  at  such  time  as  any  fair  shall  be  kept  there,"  and  adding  to  the  penalty 
(for  the  lighter  degrees  of  sorcery)  of  imprisonment,  pillory,  and  public  confession 
of  the  offence,  the  clause:  "which  said  offense  shall  be  written  in  capital  letters, 
and  placed  upon  the  breast  of  said  offender."  The  commission  creating  the 
Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  (May  27,  1692)  antedated,  however,  all  these  laws, 
and  instructed  that  body  "to  enquire  of,  hear  and  determine  for  this  time,  ac- 
cording to  the  law  and  custom  of  England  and  of  this  their  Majesties'  province, 
all  and  all  manner  of  crimes."  (For  a  learned  study  of  witchcraft  laws  in  England 
and  New  England  see  Moore's  Notes  on  Witchcraft,  pp.  3-11.) 


382         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

January  3.  By  vertue  of  an  Act  of  the  General  Court, 
the  first  Superior  Court  was  held  at  Salem,  for  the  County  of 
Essex,  the  Judges  appointed  were  Mr.  William  Stoughton  (the 
Lieutenant  Governour)  Thomas  Danforth,  John  Richards, 
Wait  Winthorp,1  and  Samuel  Sewall,  Esquires,  Where  Igno- 
ramus2 was  found  upon  the  several  Bills  of  Indictment  against 
Thirty,  and  Billa  Vera*  against  Twenty  six  more;  of  all  these 
Three  only  were  found  Guilty  by  the  Jewry  upon  Trial,  two  of 
which  were  (as  appears  by  their  Behaviour)  the  most  senseless 
and  Ignorant  Creatures  that  could  be  found;4  besides  which 
it  does  not  appear  what  came  in  against  those  more  than 
against  the  rest  that  were  acquitted.5 

The  Third  was  the  Wife  of  Wardwell,  who  was  one  of  the 
Twenty  Executed,  and  it  seems  they  had  both  confessed  them- 
selves Guilty;  but  he  retracting  his  said  Confession,  was  tried 
and  Executed  ;6  it  is  supposed  that  this  Woman  fearing  her  Hus- 
bands fate,  was  not  so  stiff  in  her  denyals  of  her  former  Confes- 
sion, such  as  it  was.  These  Three  received  Sentence  of  Death. 

At  these  Tryals  some  of  the  Jewry  made  Inquiry  of  the 
Court,  what  Account  they  ought  to  make  of  the  Spectre  Evi- 
dence? and  received  for  Answer  "as  much  as  of  Chips  in 
Wort."7 

January  31,  169|.  The  Superior  Court  began  at  Charles- 
town,  for  the  County  of  Middlesex,  Mr.  Stoughton,  Mr.  Dan- 
forth, Mr.  Winthorp,  and  Mr.  Sewall  Judges,  where  several 
had  Ignoramus  returned  upon  their  Bills  of  Indictment,  and 
Billa  Vera  upon  others. 

In  the  time  the  Court  sat,  word  was  brought  in,  that  a 
Reprieve  was  sent  to  Salem,8  and  had  prevented  the  Execu- 
tion of  Seven  of  those  that  were  there  Condemned,  which  so 
moved  the  chief  Judge,9  that  he  said  to  this  effect,  "We  were 
in  a  way  to  have  cleared  the  Land  of  these,  etc.,  who  it  is  ob- 

1  Winthrop.  2  "We  do  not  know" — i.  e.,  no  basis  for  prosecution. 

» "A  true  bill." 

4  Elizabeth  Johnson  and  Mary  Post.  Elizabeth  Johnson  (as  to  whom  see 
also  p.  420)  was  reprieved,  and  after  six  months'  imprisonment  was  freed.  Her 
grandfather,  the  Rev.  Francis  Dane,  said  of  her  "she  is  but  simplish  at  the  best." 
Mary  Post  and  Sarah  Wardwell  likewise  escaped  death. 

8  And  so  the  public  attorney  told  the  governor  (see  p.  201). 

•  See  pp.  366-367.  7  I.  e.,  as  of  less  than  no  worth. 

8  By  Governor  Phips  (see  p.  201).  » Stoughton. 


1693]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  383 

structs  the  course  of  Justice  I  know  not;  the  Lord  be  merciful 
to  the  Countrey,"  and  so  went  off  the  Bench,  and  came  no 
more  that  Court:  The  most  remarkable  of  the  Tryals,  was 
of  Sarah  Daston,  she  was  a  Woman  of  about  70  or  80  Years 
of  Age.  To  usher  in  her  Tryal,  a  report  went  before,  that  if 
there  were  a  Witch  in  the  World  she  was  one,  as  having  been 
•go  accounted  of,  for  20  or  30  Years;  which  drew  many  People 
from  Boston,  etc.,  to  hear  her  Tryal.  There  were  a  multitude 
of  Witnesses  produced  against  her;  but  what  Testimony  they 
gave  in  seemed  wholly  forreign,  as  of  accidents,  illness,  etc., 
befalling  them,  or  theirs  after  some  Quarrel ;  what  these  testi- 
fied was  much  of  it  of  Actions  said  to  be  done  20  Years  before 
that  time.  The  Spectre-Evidence  was  not  made  use  of  in 
these  Tryals,  so  that  the  Jewry  soon  brought  her  in  not  Guilty; 
her  Daughter  and  Grand-daughter,  and  the  rest  that  were 
then  tried,  were  also  acquitted.  After  she  was  cleared  Judge 
Danforth  Admonished  her  in  these  words,  "Woman,  Woman, 
repent,  there  are  shrewd  things  come  in  against  you";  she  was 
remanded  to  Prison  for  her  Fees,  and  there  in  a  short  time 
expired.  One  of  Boston  that  had  been  at  the  Tryal  of  Daston, 
being  the  same  Evening  in  company  with  one  of  the  Judges 
in  a  publick  place,  acquainted  him  that  some  that  had  been 
both  at  the  Tryals  at  Salem  and  at  this  at  Charlestown,  had 
asserted  that  there  was  more  Evidence  against  the  said  Das- 
ton than  against  any  at  Salem,  to  which  the  said  Judge  con- 
ceeded,  saying,  That  it  was  so.  It  was  replied  by  that  per- 
son, that  he  dare  give  it  under  his  hand,  that  there  was  not 
enough  come  in  against  her  to  bear  a  just  reproof.1 

April  25,  1693.  The  first  Superiour  Court  was  held  at 
Boston,  for  the  County  of  Suffolk,  the  Judges  were  the  Lieu- 
tenant Governour,  Mr.  Danforth,  Mr.  Richards  and  Mr. 
Sewall,  Esquires. 

Where  (besides  the  acquitting  Mr.  John  Aldin  by  Procla- 
mation) the  most  remarkable  was,  what  related  to  Mary  Wat- 
kins,  who  had  been  a  Servant,  and  lived  about  Seven  Miles 
from  Boston,  having  formerly  Accused  her  Mistress  of  Witch- 

1  On  Sarah  Daston's  case  see  documents  printed  in  the  Publications  (X. 
12-16)  of  the  Colonial  Society  of  Massachusetts  and  the  brief  account  of  her 
trial  by  an  eye-witness  in  the  letter  prefixed  to  the  London  edition  of  Increase 
Mather's  Cases  of  Conscience. 


384         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1693 

craft,  and  was  supposed  to  be  distracted,  she  was  threatned 
if  she  persisted  in  such  Accusations  to  be  punished ;  this  with 
the  necessary  care  to  recover  her  Health,  had  that  good  effect, 
that  she  not  only  had  her  Health  restored,  but  also  wholly 
acquitted  her  Mistress  of  any  such  Crimes,  and  continued  in 
Health  till  the  return  of  the  Year,  and  then  again  falling  into 
Melancholly  humours  she  was  found  strangling  her  self;  her 
Life  being  hereby  prolonged,  she  immediately  accused  her 
self  of  being  a  Witch;  was  carried  before  a  Magistrate  and 
committed.  At  this  Court  a  Bill  of  Indictment  was  brought 
to  the  Grand  Jury  against  her,  and  her  confession  upon  her 
Examination  given  in  as  Evidence,  but  these  not  wholly  satis- 
fied herewith,  sent  for  her,  who  gave  such  account  of  her  self, 
that  they  (after  they  had  returned  into  the  Court  to  ask  some 
Questions)  Twelve  of  them  agreed  to  find  Ignoramus,  but  the 
Court  was  pleased  to  send  them  out  again,  who  again  at  com- 
ing in  returned  it  as  before. 

She  was  continued  for  some  time  in  Prison,  etc.,  and  at 
length  was  sold  to  Virginia.1  About  this  time  the  Prisoners 
in  all  the  Prisons  were  released.2 

To  omit  here  the  mentioning  of  several  Wenches  in  Boston, 
etc.,  who  pretended  to  be  Afflicted,  and  accused  several,  the 
Ministers  often  visiting  them,  and  praying  with  them,  concern- 
ing whose  Affliction  Narratives  are  in  being  in  Manuscript.3 
Not  only  these,  but  the  generality  of  those  Accusers  may  have 
since  convinc'd  the  Ministers  by  their  vicious  courses  that 
they  might  err  in  extending  too  much  Charity  to  them. 

The  conclusion  of  the  whole  in  the  Massachusetts  Colony 
was,  Sir  William  Phips,  Governour,  being  call'd  home,  before 
he  went  he  pardon'd  such  as  had  been  condemned,  for  which 
they  gave  about  30  Shillings  each  to  the  Kings  Attorney.4 

1  As  to  Mary  Watkins  see  an  article  in  the  N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen.  Register 
(XLIV.  168  ff.).  She  lived  at  Milton,  was  white,  and  on  August  11  was  still  in 
prison,  but  was  asking  the  jail-keeper  to  provide  a  master  to  carry  her  "out  of 
this  country  into  Virginia." 

*  I.e.,  on  payment  of  fees.    See  pp.  343,  366. 

1  He  means,  of  course,  Mercy  Short  (see  above,  pp.  255  ff.)  and  Margaret 
Rule  (see  pp.  308-323).  From  this  sentence  it  seems  clear  that  this  account  of 
the  Salem  episode  was  written  before  the  earlier  pages  of  his  book,  which  begins 
with  the  narrative  of  Margaret  Rule  and  takes  its  title  from  it. 

4  Phips  left  for  England  November  17,  1694.     (Sewall's  Diary,  I.  393.) 


1697]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  385 

In  August  1697.  The  Superiour  Court  sat  at  Hartford,  in 
the  Colony  of  Connecticut,  where  one  Mistress  Benom  was 
tried  for  Witchcraft,  she  had  been  accused  by  some  Children 
that  pretended  to  the  Spectral  sight;  they  searched  her  sev- 
eral times  for  Tets;  they  tried  the  Experiment  of  casting  her 
into  the  Water,1  and  after  this  she  was  Excommunicated  by 
the  Minister  of  Wallinsford.2  Upon  her  Tryal  nothing  ma- 
terial appearing  against  her,  save  Spectre  Evidence,  she  was 
acquitted,  as  also  her  Daughter,  a  Girl  of  Twelve  or  Thirteen 
Years  old,  who  had  been  likewise  Accused ;  but  upon  renewed 
Complaints  against  them,  they  both  fled  into  New- York  Gov- 
ernment.3 

Before  this  the  Government  Issued  forth  the  following 
Proclamation.4 


By  the  Honourable  the  Lieutenant  Governour,  Council  and  Assembly  of 
his  Majesties  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  in  General  Court 
Assembled. 

Whereas  the  Anger  of  God  is  not  yet  turned  away,  but  his  Hand 
is  still  stretched  out  against  his  People  in  manifold  Judgments,  par- 
ticularly in  drawing  out  to  such  a  length  the  troubles  of  Europe,  by 
a  perplexing  War;  and  more  especially,  respecting  ourselves  in  this 
Province,  in  that  God  is  pleased  still  to  go  on  in  diminishing  our 
Substance,  cutting  short  our  Harvest,  blasting  our  most  promising 
undertakings  more  ways  than  one,  unsetling  of  us,6  and  by  his  more 

1  See  above,  p.  21.  *  Wallingford. 

3  Of  Winifred  Benham,  mother  and  daughter,  Mr.  Taylor  (The  Witchcraft 
Delusion  in  Colonial  Connecticut,  p.  155)  learns  only — from  "Records  Court  of 
Assistants  (1  :  74,  77)  " — that  they  were  in  August,  1697,  tried  and  acquitted  at 
Hartford,  and  in  October  indicted  on  new  complaints,  the  jury  returning  "Igno- 
ramus."   They  were  doubtless  the  widow  and  daughter  of  that  "Joseph  Benham 
of  New  Haven,"  who  in  1656/7  was  married  at  Boston  to  Winifred  King  (N.  E. 
Hist,  and  Gen.  Register,  XI.  203)  and  later  became  one  of  the  first  settlers  of 
Wallingford.     (See  also  Davis,  History  of  Wallingford  and  Meriden,  p.  412,  cited 
by  Levermore,  in  the  New  Englander,  XLIV.  815.) 

4  For  the  interesting  story  of  this  proclamation  see  the  Diary  (I.  439-441) 
of  Judge  Sewall,  who  drafted  its  final  form,  and  that  of  Cotton  Mather  (I.  211), 
who  drew  a  rejected  one.     The  draft  itself,  with  a  careful  study  of  these  proceed- 
ings, see  in  Moore's  Notes  on  Witchcraft  (pp.  14-19). 

6  The  punctuation  of  the  copy  in  the  Massachusetts  archives,  as  printed  in 
a  note  to  Sewall's  Diary  (I.  440),  joins  "more  ways  than  one"  to  "unsettling  of 
us." 


386         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1696 

Immediate  hand,  snatching  away  many  out  of  our  Embraces,  by 
sudden  and  violent  Deaths,  even  at  this  time  when  the  Sword  is 
devouring  so  many  both  at  home  and  abroad,  and  that  after  many 
days  of  publick  and  Solemn  addressing  of  him,  And  altho  consider- 
ing the  many  Sins  prevailing  in  the  midst  of  us,  we  cannot  but 
wonder  at  the  Patience  and  Mercy  moderating  these  Rebukes;  yet 
we  cannot  but  also  fear  that  there  is  something  still  wanting  to 
accompany  our  Supplications.  And  doubtless  there  are  some  par- 
ticular Sins,  which  God  is  Angry  with  our  Israel  for,  that  have  not 
been  duly  seen  and  resented  by  us,  about  which  God  expects  to  be 
sought,  if  ever  he  turn  again  our  Captivity. 

Wherefore  it  is  Commanded  and  Appointed,  that  Thursday  the 
Fourteenth  of  January  next  be  observed  as  a  Day  of  Prayer,  with 
Fasting  throughout  this  Province,  strictly  forbidding  all  Servile 
labour  thereon;  that  so  all  Gods  People  may  offer  up  fervent  Sup- 
plications unto  him,  for  the  Preservation,  and  Prosperity  of  his 
Majesty's  Royal  Person  and  Government,  and  Success  to  attend 
his  Affairs  both  at  home  and  abroad;  that  all  iniquity  may  be  put 
away  which  hath  stirred  God's  Holy  jealousie  against  this  Land; 
that  he  would  shew  us  what  we  know  not,  and  help  us  wherein  we 
have  done  amiss  to  do  so  no  more;  and  especially  that  whatever 
mistakes  on  either  hand  have  been  fallen  into,  either  by  the  body  of 
this  People,  or  any  orders  of  men,  referring  to  the  late  Tragedy, 
raised  among  us  by  Satan  and  his  Instruments,  thro  the  awful  Judg- 
ment of  God,  he  would  humble  us  therefore1  and  pardon  all  the  Errors 
of  his  Servants  and  People,  that  desire  to  love  his  Name  and  be  at- 
toned  to  his  Land;  that  he  would  remove  the  Rod  of  the  wicked  from 
off  the  Lot  of  the  Righteous;  that  he  would  bring  the  American 
Heathen,  and  cause  them  to  hear  and  obey  his  Voice. 

Given  at  Boston,  Decemb.  17,  1696,  in  the  8th  Year  of  his 
Majesties  Reign. 

ISAAC  ADDINGTON,  Secretary. 

Upon  the  Day  of  the  Fast  in  the  full  Assembly,  at  the 
South  Meeting-House  in  Boston,  one  of  the  Honourable 
Judges,  who  had  sat  in  Judicature  in  Salem,  delivered  in  a 
Paper,2  and  while  it  was  in  reading  stood  up,  But  the  Copy 
being  not  to  be  obtained  at  present,  It  can  only  be  reported 
by  Memory  to  this  effect,  viz.  It  was  to  desire  the  Prayers 

1  I.e.,  therefor. 

'Samuel  Sewall.  The  exact  wording  of  his  paper  he  gives  in  his  Diary 
(I.  445) : 

"Copy  of  the  Bill  I  put  up  on  the  Fast  day;  giving  it  to  Mr.  Willard  as  he 


1696]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  387 

of  God's  People  for  him  and  his,  and  that  God  having  visited 
his  Family,  etc.,  he  was  apprehensive  that  he  might  have 
fallen  into  some  Errors  in  the  Matters  at  Salem,  and  pray  that 
the  Guilt  of  such  Miscarriages  may  not  be  imputed  either  to 
the  Country  in  general,  or  to  him  or  his  family  in  particular. 


Some  that  had  been  of  several  Jewries,  have  given  forth  a  Paper,  Sign'd 
with  their  own  hands  in  these  words. 

We  whose  names  are  under  written,  being  in  the  Year  1692 
called  to  serve  as  Jurors,  in  Court  at  Salem,  on  Tryal  of  many,  who 
were  by  some  suspected  Guilty  of  doing  Acts  of  Witchcraft  upon 
the  Bodies  of  sundry  Persons: 

We  confess  that  we  our  selves  were  not  capable  to  understand, 
nor  able  to  withstand  the  mysterious  delusions  of  the  Powers  of 
Darkness,  and  Prince  of  the  Air;  but  were  for  want  of  Knowledge  in 
our  selves,  and  better  Information  from  others,  prevailed  with  to  take 
up  with  such  Evidence  against  the  Accused,  as  on  further  considera- 
tion, and  better  Information,  we  justly  fear  was  insufficient  for  the 
touching  the  Lives  of  any,  Deut.  17.  6,  whereby  we  fear  wre  have 
been  instrumental  with  others,  tho  Ignorantly  and  unwittingly,  to 
bring  upon  our  selves,  and  this  People  of  the  Lord,  the  Guilt  of  Inno- 
cent Blood;  which  Sin  the  Lord  saith  in  Scripture,  he  would  not 
pardon,  2  Kings  24.  4,  that  is  we  suppose  in  regard  of  his  temporal 
Judgments.  We  do  therefore  hereby  signifie  to  all  in  general  (and 
to  the  surviving  Sufferers  in  especial)  our  deep  sense  of,  and  sorrow 
for  our  Errors,  in  acting  on  such  Evidence  to  the  condemning  of  any 
person. 

And  do  hereby  declare  that  we  justly  fear  that  we  were  sadly 
deluded  and  mistaken,  for  which  we  are  much  disquieted  and  dis- 

pass'd  by,  and  standing  up  at  the  reading  of  it,  and  bowing  when  finished;  in  the 
Afternoon. 

"Samuel  Sewall,  sensible  of  the  reiterated  strokes  of  God  upon  himself  and 
family;  and  being  sensible,  that  as  to  the  Guilt  contracted  upon  the  opening  of 
the  late  Commission  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  at  Salem  (to  which  the  order  for  this 
Day  relates)  he  is,  upon  many  accounts,  more  concerned  than  any  that  he  knows 
of,  Desires  to  take  the  Blame  and  shame  of  it,  Asking  pardon  of  men,  And  es- 
pecially desiring  prayers  that  God,  who  has  an  Unlimited  Authority,  would  par- 
don that  sin  and  all  other  his  sins,  personal  and  Relative:  And  according  to 
his  infinite  Benignity,  and  Sovereignty,  Not  Visit  the  sin  of  him,  or  of  any  other, 
upon  himself  or  any  of  his,  nor  upon  the  Land :  But  that  He  would  powerfully 
defend  him  against  all  Temptations  to  Sin,  for  the  future;  and  vouchsafe  him 
the  efficacious,  saving  Conduct  of  his  Word  and  Spirit." 


388         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1700 

tressed  in  our  minds;  and  do  therefore  humbly  beg  forgiveness,  first 
of  God  for  Christ's  sake  for  this  our  Error;  And  pray  that  God  would 
not  impute  the  guilt  of  it  to  our  selves,  nor  others;  and  we  also 
pray  that  we  may  be  considered  candidly,  and  aright  by  the  living 
Sufferers  as  being  then  under  the  power  of  a  strong  and  general 
Delusion,  utterly  unacquainted  with,  and  not  experienced  in  matters 
of  that  Nature. 

We  do  heartily  ask  forgiveness  of  you  all,  whom  we  have  justly 
offended,  and  do  declare  according  to  our  present  minds,  we  would 
none  of  us  do  such  things  again  on  such  grounds  for  the  whole  World; 
praying  you  to  accept  of  this  in  way  of  Satisfaction  for  our  Offence; 
and  that  you  would  bless  the  Inheritance  of  the  Lord,  that  he  may 
be  intreated  for  the  Land. 

Foreman,  THOMAS  FISK,  THOMAS  PERLY,  Senior 

WILLIAM  FISK,  JOHN  PEBODY, 

JOHN  BATCHELER,  THOMAS  PERKINS, 

THOMAS  FISK,  Junior        SAMUEL  SAYER, 
JOHN  DANE,  ANDREW  ELLIOTT, 

JOSEPH  EVELTTH,  HENRY  HERRICK,  Senior.1 


Mr.  C.  M.  having  been  very  forward  to  write  Books  of 
Witchcraft,  has  not  been  so  forward  either  to  explain  or  defend 
the  Doctrinal  part  thereof,  and  his  belief  (which  he  had  a 
Years  time  to  compose)  he  durst  not  venture  so  as  to  be  copied.2 

'This  ends  the  book,  as  first  written;  but  the  author  adds  a  "Postscript," 
called  out  by  the  publication,  in  1697,  of  Cotton  Mather's  life  of  Sir  William 
Phips,  who  had  died  in  London  early  in  1695.  Not  the  achievements  of  Sir 
William,  thinks  Calef,  but  Increase  Mather's  negotiation  in  England  and  his 
procuring  of  the  new  charter,  "are  the  things  principally  driven  at  in  the  book," 
and  "another  principal  thing  is  to  set  forth  the  supposed  witchcrafts  in  New- 
England,  and  how  well  Mr.  Mather  the  Younger  therein  acquitted  himself." 
Wherefore,  after  freeing  his  mind  as  to  the  matter  of  the  charter,  he  takes  up 
Mather's  allegations  as  to  the  Salem  episode,  and,  pointing  out  that,  "tho  this 
Book  pretends  to  raise  a  Statue  in  Honour  of  Sir  William,  yet  it  appears  it  was 
the  least  part  of  the  design  of  the  Author  to  Honour  him,  but  rather  to  Honour 
himself,  and  the  Ministers,"  since  by  so  printing  the  advice  of  the  ministers  (see 
above,  p.  356)  "as  to  give  a  full  Account  of  the  cautions  given  him,  but  design- 
edly hiding  from  the  Reader  the  Incouragements  and  Exhortations  to  proceed," 
it  really  throws  the  blame  upon  Phips,  he  devotes  the  remaining  pages,  here  re- 
printed, to  Cotton  Mather's  real  views  and  their  influence.  The  Life  of  Phips, 
now  a  rare  book,  is  reprinted  in  Mather's  Magnolia. 

1  In  a  part  of  his  book  not  here  reprinted  (pp.  85  ff.)  Calef  speaks  more  fully 
of  this  paper,  lent  him  early  in  1695,  but  on  condition  of  its  return  within  a  fort- 


1700]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  389 

Yet  in  this  of  the  Life  of  Sir  William  he  sufficiently  testifies 
his  retaining  that  Heterodox  belief,  seeking  by  frightfull  stories 
of  the  sufferings  of  some,  and  the  refined  sight  of  others,  etc., 
P.  69  to  obtrude  upon  the  World,  and  confirm  it  in  such  a 
belief,  as  hitherto  he  either  cannot  or  will  not  defend,  as  if  the 
Blood  already  shed  thereby  were  not  sufficient. 

Mr.  I.  Mather,  in  his  Cases  of  Conscience,  P.  25,  tells  of  a 
Bewitched  Eye,  and  that  such  can  see  more  than  others. 
They  were  certainly  bewitched  Eyes  that  could  see  as  well 
shut  as  open,  and  that  could  see  what  never  was,  that  could 
see  the  Prisoners  upon  the  Afflicted,  harming  of  them,  when 
those  whose  Eyes  were  not  bewitched  could  have  sworn  that 
they  did  not  stir  from  the  Bar.  The  Accusers  are  said  to  have 
suffered  much  by  biting,  P.  73.  And  the  prints  of  just  such 
a  set  of  Teeth,  as  those  they  Accused,  had,  but  such  as  had 
not  such  bewitch'd  Eyes  have  seen  the  Accusers  bite  themselves, 
and  then  complain  of  the  Accused.  It  has  also  been  seen 
when  the  Accused,  instead  of  having  just  such  a  set  of  Teeth, 
has  not  had  one  in  his  head.  They  were  such  bewitched  Eyes 
that  could  see  the  Poisonous  Powder  (brought  by  Spectres 
P.  70.)  And  that  could  see  in  the  Ashes  the  print  of  the  Brand, 
there  invisibly  heated  to  torment  the  pretended  Sufferers 
with,  etc. 

These  with  the  rest  of  such  Legends  have  this  direct  ten- 
dency, viz.  To  tell  the  World  that  the  Devil  is  more  ready  to 
serve  his  Votaries,  by  his  doing  for  them  things  above  or 
against  the  course  of  Nature,  shewing  himself  to  them,  and 
making  explicit  contract  with  them,  etc.,  than  the  Divine 
Being  is  to  his  faithful  Servants,  and  that  as  he  is  willing,  so 
also  able  to  perform  their  desires.  The  way  whereby  these 
People  are  believed  to  arrive  at  a  power  to  Afflict  their  Neigh- 
bours, is  by  a  compact  with  the  Devil,  and  that  they  have  a 
power  to  Commissionate  him  to  those  Evils,  P.  72.  However 
Irrational,  or  Inscriptural  such  Assertions  are,  yet  they  seem 

night  and  uncopied.  It  was  perhaps  the  MS.  described  by  Poole  (Memorial 
History,  II.  152,  note)  as  now  in  the  possession  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical 
Society,  and  called  "Cotton  Mather's  belief  and  practice  in  those  thorny  difficul- 
ties which  have  distracted  us  in  the  day  of  temptation" — having  "marginal 
reflections  in  another  hand."  [Since  the  foregoing  words  were  written,  this  con- 
jecture has  been  proved  true.  See  above,  p.  306,  note  1.] 


390         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1700 

a  necessary  part  of  the  Faith  of  such  as  maintain  the  belief 
of  such  a  sort  of  Witches. 

As  the  Scriptures  know  nothing  of  a  covenanting  or  com- 
missioning Witch,  so  Reason  cannot  conceive  how  Mortals 
should  by  their  Wickedness  arrive  at  a  power  to  Commission- 
ate  Angels,  Fallen  Angels,  against  their  Innocent  Neighbours. 
But  the  Scriptures  are  full  in  it,  and  the  Instances  numerous, 
that  the  Almighty,  Divine  Being  has  this  prerogative  to  make 
use  of  what  Instrument  he  pleaseth,  in  Afflicting  any,  and 
consequently  to  commissionate  Devils:  And  tho  this  word 
commissioning,  in  the  Authors  former  Books,  might  be  thought 
to  be  by  inadvertency;  yet  now  after  he  hath  been  caution'd 
of  it,  still  to  persist  in  it  seems  highly  Criminal.  And  there- 
fore in  the  name  of  God,  I  here  charge  such  belief  as  guilty 
of  Sacriledge  in  the  highest  Nature,  and  so  much  worse  than 
stealing  Church  Plate,  etc.,  As  it  is  a  higher  Offence  to  steal 
any  of  the  glorious  Attributes  of  the  Almighty,  to  bestow  them 
upon  Mortals,  than  it  is  to  steal  the  Utensils  appropriated  to 
his  Service.  And  whether  to  ascribe  such  power  of  commis- 
sioning Devils  to  the  worst  of  Men,  be  not  direct  Blasphemy, 
I  leave  to  others  better  able  to  determine.  When  the  Phari- 
sees were  so  wicked  as  to  ascribe  to  Beelzebub,  the  mighty 
works  of  Christ  (whereby  he  did  manifestly  shew  forth  his 
Power  and  Godhead)  then  it  was  that  our  Saviour  declared 
the  Sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  to  be  unpardonable. 

When  the  Righteous  God  is  contending  with  Apostate 
Sinners,  for  their  departures  from  him,  by  his  Judgments,  as 
Plagues,  Earthquakes,  Storms  and  Tempests,  Sicknesses  and 
Diseases,  Wars,  loss  of  Cattle,  etc.  Then  not  only  to  ascribe 
this  to  the  Devil,  but  to  charge  one  another  with  sending  or 
commissionating  those  Devils  to  these  things,  is  so  abomina- 
ble and  so  wicked,  that  it  requires  a  better  Judgment  than  mine 
to  give  it  its  just  denomination. 

But  that  Christians  so  called  should  not  only  charge  their 
fellow  Christians  therewith,  but  proceed  to  Tryals  and  Execu- 
tions; crediting  that  Enemy  to  all  Goodness,  and  Accuser  of 
the  Brethren,  rather  than  believe  their  Neighbours  in  their 
own  Defence;  This  is  so  Diabolical  a  Wickedness  as  cannot 
proceed,  but  from  a  Doctrine  of  Devils;  how  far  damnable  it 
is  let  others  discuss.  Tho  such  things  were  acting  in  this 


1700]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  391 

Country  in  Sir  Williams  time,  yet  p.  65.  there  is  a  Discourse 
of  a  Guardian  Angel,  as  then  over-seeing  it,  which  notion, 
however  it  may  suit  the  Faith  of  Ethnicks,1  or  the  fancies  of 
Trithemius;2  it  is  certain  that  the  Omnipresent  Being  stands 
not  in  need  as  Earthly  Potentates  do,  of  governing  the  World 
by  Vicegerents.  And  if  Sir  William  had  such  an  Invisible 
pattern  to  imitate,  no  wonder  tho  some  of  his  Actions  were 
unaccountable,  especially  those  relating  to  Witchcraft:  For 
if  there  was  in  those  Actions  an  Angel  super-intending,  there 
is  little  reason  to  think  it  was  Gabriel  or  the  Spirit  of  Mercury, 
nor  Hanael  the  Angel  or  Spirit  of  Venus,  nor  yet  Samuel  the 
Angel  or  Spirit  of  Mars;  Names  feigned  by  the  said  Trithe- 
mius, etc.  It  may  rather  be  thought  to  be  Apollyon,  or  Abad- 
don. 

Ob].3  But  here  it  will  be  said,  "What,  are  there  no  Witches? 
Do's  not  the  Law  of  God  command  that  they  should  be  extir- 
pated? Is  the  Command  vain  and  Unintelligible?"  Sol.* 
For  any  to  say  that  a  Witch  is  one  that  makes  a  compact 
with,  and  Commissions  Devils,  etc.,  is  indeed  to  render  the 
Law  of  God  vain  and  Unintelligible,  as  having  provided  no 
way  whereby  they  might  be  detected,  and  proved  to  be  such; 
And  how  the  Jews  waded  thro  this  difficulty  for  so  many 
Ages,  without  the  Supplement  of  Mr.  Perkins  and  Bernard 
thereto,  would  be  very  mysterious.  But  to  him  that  can 
read  the  Scriptures  without  prejudice  from  Education,  etc., 
it  will  manifestly  appear  that  the  Scripture  is  full  and  Intelligi- 
ble, both  as  to  the  Crime  and  means  to  detect  the  culpable. 
He  that  shall  hereafter  see  any  person,  who  to  confirm  People 
in  a  false  belief,  about  the  power  of  Witches  and  Devils,  pre- 
tending to  a  sign  to  confirm  it,  such  as  knocking  off  of  invisible 
Chains  with  the  hand,  driving  away  Devils  by  brushing,  strik- 
ing with  a  Sword  or  Stick,  to  wound  a  person  at  a  great  dis- 
tance, etc.,  may  (according  to  that  head  of  Mr.  Gauls,  quoted 
by  Mr.  C.  M.  and  so  often  herein  before  recited,  and  so  well 
proved  by  Scripture)  conclude  that  he  has  seen  Witchcraft  , 
performed. 

1  Pagans. 

2  A  German  abbot  and  scholar  who  in  the  early  sixteenth  century  wrote 
most  credulously  about  witches  and  angels. 

*  Objection.  4  Solution. 


392         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1700 

If  Baalam  became  a  Sorcerer  by  Sacrifizing  and  Praying 
to  the  true  God  against  his  visible  people ;  Then  he  that  shall 
pray  that  the  afflicted  (by  their  Spectral  Sight)  may  accuse 
some  other  Person  (whereby  their  reputations  and  lives  may 
be  indangered)  such  will  justly  deserve  the  Name  of  a  Sorcerer. 
If  any  Person  pretends  to  know  more  then1  can  be  known 
by  humane  means,  and  professeth  at  the  same  time  that  they 
have  it  from  the  Black-Man,  i.  e.  the  Devil,  and  shall  from 
hence  give  Testimony  against  the  Lives  of  others,  they  are 
manifestly  such  as  have  a  familiar  Spirit;  and  if  any,  knowing 
them  to  have  their  Information  from  the  Black-Man,  shall  be 
inquisitive  of  them  for  their  Testimony  against  others,  they 
therein  are  dealing  with  such  as  have  a  Familiar-Spirit. 

And  if  these  shall  pretend  to  see  the  dead  by  their  Spec- 
tral Sight,  and  others  shall  be  inquisitive  of  them,  and  receive 
their  Answers  what  it  is  the  dead  say,  and  who  it  is  they  ac- 
cuse, both  the  one  and  the  other  are  by  Scripture  Guilty  of 
Necromancy. 

These  are  all  of  them  crimes  as  easily  proved  as  any  what- 
soever, and  that  by  such  proof  as  the  Law  of  God  requires,  so 
that  it  is  no  Unintelligible  Law. 

But  if  the  Iniquity  of  the  times  be  such,  that  these  Crim- 
inals not  only  Escape  Indemnified,2  but  are  Incouraged  in 
their  Wickedness,  and  made  use  of  to  take  away  the  Lives  of 
others,  this  is  worse  than  a  making  the  Law  of  God  Vain,  it 
being  a  rendring  of  it  dangerous,  against  the  Lives  of  Inno- 
cents, and  without  all  hopes  of  better,  so  long  as  these  Bloody 
Principles  remain. 

As  long  as  Christians  do  Esteem  the  Law  of  God  to  be 
Imperfect,  as  not  describing  that  crime  that  it  requires  to  be 
Punish'd  by  Death; 

As  long  as  men  suffer  themselves  to  be  Poison'd  in  their 
Education,  and  be  grounded  in  a  False  Belief  by  the  Books  of 
the  Heathen; 

As  long  as  the  Devil  shall  be  believed  to  have  a  Natural 
Power,  to  Act  above  and  against  a  course  of  Nature; 

As  long  as  the  Witches  shall  be  believed  to  have  a  Power 
to  Commission  him; 

As  long  as  the  Devils  Testimony,  by  the  pretended  afflicted, 

1 7.  e.,  than.  *  Unpunished. 


1700]  CALEF,  MORE  WONDERS  393 

shall  be  received  as  more  valid  to  Condemn,  than  their  Plea 
of  Not  Guilty  to  acquit; 

As  long  as  the  Accused  shall  have  their  Lives  and  Liberties 
confirmed  and  restored  to  them,  upon  their  Confessing  them- 
selves Guilty; 

As  long  as  the  Accused  shall  be  forc't  to  undergo  Hardships 
and  Torments  for  their  not  Confessing; 

As  long  as  Tets  for  the  Devil  to  Suck  are  searched  for  upon 
the  Bodies  of  the  accused,  as  a  token  of  guilt; 

As  long  as  the  Lords  Prayer  shall  be  profaned,  by  being 
made  a  Test,  who  are  culpable; 

As  long  as  Witchcraft,  Sorcery,  Familiar  Spirits,  and  Nec- 
romancy, shall  be  improved  to  discover  who  are  Witches,  etc., 

So  long  it  may  be  expected  that  Innocents  will  suffer  as 
Witches. 

So  long  God  will  be  Daily  dishonoured,  And  so  long  his 
Judgments  must  be  expected  to  be  continued. 

Finis. 


A  MODEST  INQUIRY  INTO  THE  NATURE  OF 
WITCHCRAFT,  BY  JOHN  HALE,  1702 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  Rev.  John  Hale  (1636-1700),  a  native  of  the  colony 
and  a  graduate  of  Harvard  in  its  class  of  1657,  had  since  1665 
been  pastor  at  Beverly,  the  parish  lying  north  of  Salem,  from 
which  it  was  severed  by  a  narrow  arm  of  the  sea,  and  at  the 
west  adjoining  yet  more  closely  Salem  Village,  through  which 
lay  the  land  route  connecting  Beverly  with  Salem  and  with 
Boston.  Many  of  those  connected  with  the  beginnings  of  the 
witch  panic  had,  prior  to  the  erection  of  the  Village  parish, 
been  in  attendance  at  the  Beverly  church.  Some  were  still 
so;  and  the  spreading  suspicion  soon  invaded  this  parish  itself. 
It  was  not  strange,  then,  that  from  the  first,  as  we  have  seen 
already,  Hale's  interest  in  the  proceedings  was  close  and  atten- 
tive.1 There  can  be  no  question  that,  as  Calef  says,  "he  had 
been  very  forward  in  these  Prosecutions,"  and,  like  his  neigh- 
bor pastors  Parris  and  Noyes,  had  held  the  most  credulous 
views  as  to  the  worth  of  the  testimony  of  the  "afflicted." 
How  those  views  changed  after  the  accusation  of  his  loved  and 
honored  wife  we  have  also  seen;2  and  of  all  this  he  himself 
tells  us  with  a  touching  sincerity  in  the  pages  now  to  follow. 
His  little  book  is  no  apology,  but  a  manly  attempt  to  make 
amends  for  what  he  now  felt  to  be  error  by  setting  forth  to 
others  what  he  had  learned.  Judge  Sewall,  who  likewise  had 
repented  of  his  error  and  likewise  frankly  owned  it,  records  in 

1  See  above,  pp.  158,  184,  342,  344,  350,  369.    More  than  once  (as  against 
Bridget  Bishop  and  Dorcas  Hoar)  he  himself  became  a  witness  as  to  the  reputa- 
tion or  career  of  the  accused.     That  already  then  there  was  thought  of  his  writing 
upon  the  subject  may  perhaps  be  inferred  from  Cotton  Mather's  letter  quoted  on 
p.  206 ;  and  see  also  p.  214. 

2  See  p.  369,  and  note  1. 


398         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

his  diary  on  November  19,  1697,  when  he  was  on  a  visit  to 
Salem :  "  Mr.  Hale  and  I  lodg'd  together :  He  discours'd  me 
about  writing  a  History  of  the  Witchcraft;  I  fear  lest  he  go 
into  the  other  extream." 

The  Rev.  John  Higginson  (1616-1708),  the  aged  senior 
pastor  of  Salem,  who  writes  for  Hale  the  introduction,  is  also 
no  stranger  to  us;1  and  we  have  seen  what  reason  there  is  to 
think  him  hesitant  all  along  as  to  the  proceedings.  Yet  how 
far  he  had  been  from  incredulity  as  to  human  dealings  with 
the  Devil  appears  not  only  from  his  own  words  here,  but  from 
the  materials  he  furnished  Increase  Mather  for  his  Providences* 
Perhaps  he,  too,  consulted  Judge  Sewall  as  to  his  part  in  the 
little  book;  for  before  the  words  just  cited  the  latter  writes: 
"Mr.  Higginson  comes  as  far  as  Brother's  to  see  me;  which 
I  wonder'd  at." 

Though  completed  early  in  1698 — since  Higginson  had 
read  it  before  signing  his  introduction  on  March  23 — the  book, 
as  may  be  seen  from  its  imprint,  was  not  published  till  1702, 
after  Hale's  death.  Perhaps  that  was  its  author's  wish:  so, 
Judge  Sewall  tells  us,3  Higginson  withheld  his  treatise  on 
periwigs.  The  Modest  Enquiry  is  now  one  of  the  rarest  books 
in  the  literature  of  witchcraft.  Its  single  reimpression  (Boston, 
1771)  is  said  to  be  yet  rarer  than  the  original.  Happily,  that 
part  of  the  book  which  narrates  the  story  of  the  Salem  episode 
was  taken  up  by  Cotton  Mather  into  his  Magnalia  (at  the  end 
of  his  Book  VI.) ;  and  from  that  work,  though  it  gives  Hale 
due  credit,  it  is  often  quoted  as  if  Mather's  own.4 

1  See  above,  pp.  245,  248,  note  2.  *  Mather  Papers,  pp.  282-287. 

•  Diary,  I.  463-464. 

4  As  to  Hale's  career  see  a  memoir  in  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.,  Collections,  third  series, 
VII.  255-269;  also  Sibley,  Harvard  Graduates,  I.  509-520,  and  authorities  there 
cited. 


KALE'S   A   MODEST  INQUIRY 

A  Modest  Enquiry  Into  the  Nature  of  Witchcraft,  and  How  Per- 
sons Guilty  of  that  Crime  may  be  Convicted:  And  the  means 
used  for  their  Discovery  Discussed,  both  Negatively  and  Af- 
firmatively, according  to  Scripture  and  Experience. 

By  John  Hale,  Pastor  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Beverley,  Anno 
Domini  1697. 

When  they  say  unto  you,  seek  unto  them  that  have  Familiar  Spirits 
and  unto  Wizzards,  that  peep,  etc.,  To  the  Law  and  to  the 
Testimony;  if  they  speak  not  according  to  this  word,  it  is 
because  there  is  no  light  in  them.  Isaiah  VIII.  19.  20. 
That  which  I  see  not  teach  thou  me,  Job  34.  32. 

Boston  in  N.  E.  Printed  by  B.  Green  and  J.  Allen,  for  Benjamin 
Eliot  under  the  Town  House.  1702.1 

Any  general  Custom  against  the  Law  of  God  is  void.  St. 
Germans,  Abridgment  of  Common  Law.  Lib.  1.  C.  6. 

Omnium  legum  est  inanis  censura  nisi  Divinse  legis  imaginem 
gerat.2  Finch,  Common  Law.  Lib.  4.  C.  3. 

Where  a  Law  is  grounded  upon  a  Presumption,  if  the  Pre- 
sumption fail  the  Law  is  not  to  be  holden  in  Conscience. 
Abridgment  of  C.  Law.  Lib.  1.  C.  19.3 

An  Epistle  to  the  Reader. 

IT  hath  been  said  of  Old,  That  Time  is  the  Mother  of 
Truth,  and  Truth  is  the  Daughter  of  Time.  It  is  the  Preroga- 
tive of  the  God  of  Truth,  to  know  all  the  truth  in  all  things  at 
once  and  together:  It  is  also  his  Glory  to  conceal  a  matter, 
Prov.  25.  2,  And  to  bring  the  truth  to  light  in  that  manner  and 
measure,  and  the  times  appointed,  as  it  pleaseth  him;  it  is 

1  Title-page  of  original. 

2  "No  law  hath  any  validity  unless  it  bear  the  image  of  divine  law." 
1  Reverse  of  title-page. 

399 


400         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1698 

our  duty  in  all  humility,  and  with  fear  and  trembling,  to  search 
after  truth,  knowing  that  secret  things  belong  to  God,  and 
only  things  revealed  belong  to  us,  and  so  far  as  they  are  re- 
vealed; for  in  many  things  it  may  be  said,  what  God  is  doing 
we  know  not  now;  but  we,  or  others  that  succeed  us,  shall 
know  hereafter.  Omitting  other  Examples,  I  shall  Instance 
only  in  the  matter  of  Witchcraft,  which  on  the  Humane  side, 
is  one  of  the  most  hidden  Works  of  Darkness,  managed  by  the 
Rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  World,  to  the  doing  of  great 
spoil  amongst  the  Children  of  men:  And  on  the  Divine  side, 
it  is  one  of  the  most  awful  and  tremendous  Judgments  of  God 
which  can  be  inflicted  on  the  Societies  of  men,  especially  when 
the  Lord  shall  please  for  his  own  Holy  Ends  to  Enlarge  Satans 
Commission  in  more  than  an  ordinary  way. 

It  is  known  to  all  men,  that  it  pleased  God  some  few  years 
ago,  to  suffer  Satan  to  raise  much  trouble  amongst  us  in  that 
respect,  the  beginning  of  which  was  very  small,  and  looked 
on  at  first  as  an  ordinary  case  which  had  fallen  out  before  at 
several  times  in  other  places,  and  would  be  quickly  over. 
Only  one  or  two  persons  belonging  to  Salem  Village  about 
five  miles  from  the  Town  being  suspected  were  Examined,  etc. 
But  in  the  progress  of  the  matter,  a  multitude  of  other  persons 
both  in  this  and  other  Neighbour  Towns,  were  Accused,  Ex- 
amined, Imprisoned,  and  came  to  their  Trials,  at  Salem,  the 
County  Town,  where  about  Twenty  of  them  Suffered  as 
Witches;  and  many  others  in  danger  of  the  same  Tragical  End : 
and  still  the  number  of  the  Accused  increased  unto  many 
Scores;  amongst  whom  were  many  Persons  of  unquestionable 
Credit,  never  under  any  grounds  of  suspicion  of  that  or  any 
other  Scandalous  Evil.  This  brought  a  general  Consternation 
upon  all  sorts  of  People,  doubting  what  would  be  the  issue  of 
such  a  dreadful  Judgment  of  God  upon  the  Country ;  but  the 
Lord  was  pleased  suddenly  to  put  a  stop  to  those  proceedings, 
that  there  was  no  further  trouble,  as  hath  been  related  by 
others.  But  it  left  in  the  minds  of  men  a  sad  remembrance  of 
that  sorrowful  time;  and  a  Doubt  whether  some  Innocent  Per- 
sons might  not  Suffer,  and  some  guilty  Persons  Escape.  There 
is  no  doubt  but  the  Judges  and  Juries  proceeded  in  their  In- 
tegrity, with  a  zeal  of  God  against  Sin,  according  to  their 
best  light,  and  according  to  Law  and  Evidence;  but  there  is 


1698]  HALE,  A  MODEST  INQUIRY  401 

a  Question  yet  unresolved,  Whether  some  of  the  Laws,  Customs 
and  Principles  used  by  the  Judges  and  Juries  in  the  Trials  of 
Witches  in  England  (which  were  followed  as  Patterns  here) 
were  not  insufficient  and  unsafe. 

As  for  my  Self,  being  under  the  Infirmities  of  a  decrepit 
Old  Age,  I  stirred  little  abroad,  and  was  much  disenabled 
(both  in  body  and  mind)  from  Knowing  and  judging  of  Occur- 
rents  and  Transactions  of  that  time:  But  my  Reverend 
Brother  Mr.  Hale,  having  for  above  Thirty  Years  been  Pastor 
of  the  Church  at  Beverly  (but  Two  Miles  from  Salem,  where 
the  Tryals  were)  was  frequently  present,  and  was  a  diligent 
Observer  of  all  that  passed,  and  being  one  of  a  Singular  Pru- 
dence and  Sagacity,  in  searching  into  the  narrows  of  things : 
He  hath  (after  much  deliberation)  in  this  Treatise,  related  the 
Substance  of  the  Case  as  it  was,  and  given  Reasons  from  Scrip- 
ture against  some  of  the  Principles  and  Practises  then  used  in 
the  Tryals  of  Witchcraft;  and  said  something  also  in  a  Posi- 
tive way,  and  shewing  the  right  Application  that  is  to  be  made 
of  the  whole,  and  all  this  in  such  a  pious  and  modest  Manner, 
as  cannot  be  offensive  to  any,  but  may  be  generally  acceptable 
to  all  the  lovers  of  Truth  and  Peace. 

I  am  the  more  willing  to  accompany  him  to  the  Press,  be- 
cause I  am  perswaded  such  a  Treatise  as  this  is  needful  and 
useful,  upon  divers  accounts.  As, 

1.  That  the  Works  of  God  may  be  known;  and  that  God 
may  be  more  acknowledged  and  adored,  in  his  Justice,  and  in 
his  Mercy:    in  his  Justice,  by  letting  loose  Evil  Angels,  to 
make  so  great  a  spoyl  amongst  us  as  they  did,  for  the  Punish- 
ment of  a  declining  People:   And  in  his  Mercy,  by  Counter- 
manding of  Satans  Commission,  and  keeping  of  him  in  Chains 
of  restraint,  that  he  should  proceed  no  further.    Psal.  83,  last. 

2.  That  the  Truth  of  things  may  be  more  fully  known,  so 
far  as  God  shall  please  to  reveal  the  same  in  the  use  of  lawful 
means;  for  the  Judgments  of  God  are  a  great  deep,  and  he  is 
wont  to  make  known  truth  by  degrees ;  and  Experience  teach- 
eth  us,  there  is  need  of  more  to  be  said  than  hath  been  yet, 
for  the  clearing  up  of  difficulties  about  the  matter  of  Witch- 
craft.   We  ought  to  be  fellow  helpers  to  the  truth.    3  Epistle 
of  John,  8.  v. 

3.  That  whatever  Errors  or  Mistakes  we  fell  into,  in  the 


402         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1698 

dark  hour  of  Temptation  that  was  upon  us,  may  be  (upon 
more  light)  so  discovered,  acknowledged  and  disowned  by  us, 
as  that  it  may  be  a  matter  of  Warning  and  Caution  to  those 
that  come  after  us,  that  they  may  not  fall  into  the  like.  1  Cor. 
10.  11.  Fcdix  quern  faciuni  aliena  pericula  cautum.1 

4.  And  that  it  may  Occasion  the  most  Learned  and  Pious 
men  to  make  a  further  and  fuller  Enquiry  into  the  matter  of 
Witchcraft,  especially  into  the  positive  part,  How  Witches 
may  be  so  discovered,  that  innocent  persons  may  be  preserved, 
and  none  but  the  guilty  may  suffer.  Prov.  17.  15. 

Verily  whosoever  shall  by  the  Grace  of  God  be  enabled  to 
Contribute  further  light  in  this  matter,  will  do  good  Service 
to  God  and  Men  in  his  Generation. 

I  would  also  propound  and  leave  it  as  an  Object  of  Con- 
sideration to  our  Honoured  Magistrates  and  Reverend  Minis- 
ters, Whether  the  ^Equity  of  that  Law  in  Leviticus,  Chap.  4, 
for  a  Sin  offering  for  the  Rulers  and  for  the  Congregation,  in 
the  case  of  Sins  of  Ignorance,  when  they  come  to  be  known, 
be  not  Obliging,  and  for  direction  to  us  in  a  Gospel  way. 

Now  the  Father  of  Lights  and  Mercies  grant  unto  us,  that 
Mercy  and  Truth  may  meet  together,  that  righteousness  and 
peace  may  kiss  each  other,  that  the  Glory  of  God  may  dwell 
in  our  Land;  and  that  it  may  be  said  of  New  England,  The 
Lord  Bless  thee,  0  Habitation  of  Justice  and  Mountain  of 
Holiness, 

Finally,  That  the  Blessing  of  Heaven  may  go  along  with 
this  little  Treatise  to  attain  the  good  Ends  thereof,  is,  and 
shall  be  the  Prayer  of  him  who  is  daily  waiting  for  his  Change, 
and  looking  for  the  Mercy  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto 

Eternal  Life. 

JOHN  HIGGINSON, 

March  23d,  Pastor  of  the  Church,  of  Salem. 

1697,  8.  dltatis  82.2 

The  Preface  to  the  Christian  Reader. 

THE  Holy  Scriptures  inform  us  that  the  Doctrine  of  God- 
liness is  a  great  Mystery,  containing  the  Mysteries  of  the 

1  "Happy  the  man  whom  the  perils  of  others  make  cautious." 
1  "In  the  82d  year  of  his  age."    As  to  the  aged  senior  pastor  of  Salem  see 
p.  398. 


1697]  HALE,  A  MODEST  INQUIRY  403 

Kingdom  of  Heaven:  Mysteries  which  require  great  search 
for  the  finding  out :  And  as  the  Lord  hath  his  Mysteries  to 
bring  us  to  Eternal  Glory;  so  Satan  hath  his  Mysteries  to 
bring  us  to  Eternal  Ruine:  Mysteries  not  easily  under- 
stood, whereby  the  depths  of  Satan  are  managed  in  hidden 
wayes.  So  the  Whore  of  Babylon  makes  the  Inhabitants  of 
the  Earth  drunk  with  the  Wine  of  her  Fornication,  by  the 
Mystery  of  her  abominations,  Rev.  17.  2.  And  the  man  of 
Sin  hath  his  Mystery  of  iniquity  whereby  he  deceiveth  men 
through  the  working  of  Satan  in  signes  and  lying  wonders, 
2  Thes.  2.  3,  7,  9. 

And  among  Satans  Mysteries  of  iniquity,  this  of  Witch- 
craft is  one  of  the  most  difficult  to  be  searched  out  by  the  Sons 
of  men ;  as  appeareth  by  the  great  endeavours  of  Learned  and 
Holy  men  to  search  it  out,  and  the  great  differences  that  are 
found  among  them,  in  the  rules  laid  down  for  the  bringing  to 
light  these  hidden  works  of  darkness.  So  that  it  may  seem 
presumption  in  me  to  undertake  so  difficult  a  Theam,  and  to 
lay  down  such  rules  as  are  different  from  the  Sentiments  of 
many  Eminent  writers,  and  from  the  Presidents  and  practices 
of  able  Lawyers;  yea  and  from  the  Common  Law  it  self. 

But  my  Apology  for  this  undertaking  is; 

1.  That  there  hath  been  such  a  dark  dispensation  by  the 
Lord,  letting  loose  upon  us  the  Devil,  Anno.  1691  and  1692,1 
as  we  never  experienced  before :  And  thereupon  apprehending 
and  condemning  persons  for  Witchcraft;  and  nextly  acquit- 
ting others  no  less  liable  to  such  a  charge;  which  evidently 
shew  we  were  in  the  dark,  and  knew  not  what  to  do ;  but  have 
gone  too  far  on  the  one  or  other  side,  if  not  on  both.  Hereupon 
I  esteemed  it  necessary  for  some  person  to  Collect  a  Summary 
of  that  affair,  with  some  animadversions  upon  it,  which  might 
at  least  give  some  light  to  them  which  come  after,  to  shun 
those  Rocks  by  which  we  were  bruised,  and  narrowly  escaped 
Ship  wrack  upon.  And  I  have  waited  five  years  for  some 
other  person  to  undertake  it,  who  might  doe  it  better  than  I 
can,  but  find  none;  and  judge  it  better  to  do  what  I  can,  than 
that  such  a  work  should  be  left  undone.  Better  sincerely 
though  weakly  done,  then  not  at  all,  or  with  such  a  byas  of 
prejudice  as  will  put  false  glosses  upon  that  which  was  man- 

1  "1691"  because  the  troubles  began  before  March  25. 


404         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1G97 

aged  with  uprightness  of  heart,  though  there  was  not  so  great 
a  spirit  of  discerning,  as  were  to  be  wished  ^in  so  weighty  a 
Concernment. 

2.  I  have  been  present  at  several  Examinations  and  Tryals, 
and  knew  sundry  of  those  that  Suffered  upon  that  account  in 
former  years,  and  in  this  last  affair,  and  so  have  more  advan- 
tages than  a  stranger,  to  give  account  of  these  Proceedings. 

3.  I  have  been  from  my  Youth  trained  up  in  the  knowl- 
edge and  belief  of  most  of  those  principles  I  here  question  as 
unsafe  to  be  used.     The  first  person  that  suffered  on  this  ac- 
count in  New-England,  about  Fifty  years  since,  was  my  Neigh- 
bour, and  I  heard  much  of  what  was  charged  upon  her,  and 
others  in  those  times;    and  the  reverence  I  bore  to  aged, 
learned  and  judicious  persons,  caused  me  to  drink  in  their 
principles  in  these  things,  with  a  kind  of  Implicit  Faith.     Quo 
semel  est  imbuta  recens  servabit  odor  em,  Testa  diu.1    A  Child 
will  not  easily  forsake  the  principles  he  hath  been  trained  up 
in  from  his  Cradle. 

But  observing  the  Events  of  that  sad  Catastrophe,  Anno 
1692,  I  was  brought  to  a  more  strict  scanning  of  the  principles 
I  had  imbibed,  and  by  scanning,  to  question,  and  by  question- 
ing at  length  to  reject  many  of  them,  upon  the  reasons  shewed 
in  the  ensuing  Discourse.  It  is  an  approved  saying  Nihil 
certius,  quam  quod  ex  dubio  fit  cerium?  No  truth  more  certain 
to  a  man,  than  that  which  he  hath  formerly  doubted  or  denied, 
and  is  recovered  from  his  error,  by  the  convincing  evidence  of 
Scripture  and  reason.  Yet  I  know  and  am  sensible,  that 
while  we  know  but  in  part,  man  is  apt  in  flying  from  a  discov- 
ered error,  to  run  into  the  contrary  extream. 

Intidit  in  Scyllam  qui  vult  vitare  Charybdim.3 

The  middle  way  is  commonly  the  way  of  truth.  And  if 
any  can  shew  me  a  better  middle  way  than  I  have  here  laid 
down,  I  shall  be  ready  to  embrace  it :  But  the  conviction  must 
not  be  by  vinegar  or  drollery,  but  by  strength  of  argument. 

4.  I  have  had  a  deep  sence  of  the  sad  consequence  of  mis- 

1  Literally,  "the  fresh-made  pot  will  long  retain  the  odor  in  which  once  'tis 
steeped."  The  line  is  from  Horace. 

•Laterally,  "nothing  is  surer  than  what  out  of  doubt  is  made  sure." 
•  "Into  Soylla  falls  he  who  tries  to  keep  clear  of  Charybdis." 


1697]  HALE,   A  MODEST  INQUIRY  405 

takes  in  matters  Capital;  and  their  impossibility  of  recover- 
ing when  compleated.  And  what  grief  of  heart  it  brings  to  a 
tender  conscience,  to  have  been  unwittingly  encouraging  of  the 
Sufferings  of  the  innocent.  And  I  hope  a  zeal  to  prevent  for 
the  future  such  sufferings  is  pardonable,  although  there  should 
be  much  weakness,  and  some  errors  in  the  pursuit  thereof. 

5.  I  observe  the  failings  that  have  been  on  the  one  hand, 
have  driven  some  into  that  which  is  indeed  an  extream  on  the 
other  hand,  and  of  dangerous  consequences,  viz.  To  deny  any 
such  persons  to  be  under  the  New  Testament,  who  by  the 
Devils  aid  discover  Secrets,  or  do  work  wonders.     Therefore 
in  the  latter  part  of  this  discourse,  I  have  taken  pains  to  prove 
the  Affirmative,  yet  with  brevity,  because  it  hath  been  done 
already  by  Perkins  of  Witchcraft.1    Glanvil  his  Saducismus 
Triumphatus,2  Pt.  1.  p.  1  to  90  and  Pt.  2.  p.  1  to  80.    Yet  I 
would  not  be  understood  to  justify  all  his  notions  in  those  dis- 
courses, but  acknowledge  he  hath  strongly  proved  the  being 
of  Witches. 

6.  I  have  special  reasons  moving  me  to  bear  my  testimony 
about  these  matters,  before  I  go  hence  and  be  no  more;   the 
which  I  have  here  done,  and  I  hope  with  some  assistance  of 
his  Spirit,  to  whom  I  commit  my  self  and  this  my  labour, 
even  that  God  whose  I  am  and  whom  I  serve:   Desiring  his 
Mercy  in  Jesus  Christ  to  Pardon  all  the  Errors  of  his  People 
in  the  day  of  darkness;  and  to  enable  us  to  fight  with  Satan 
by  Spiritual  Weapons,  putting  on  the  whole  Armour  of  God. 

And  tho'  Satan  by  his  Messengers  may  buffet  Gods  Chil- 
dren, yet  there's  a  promise  upon  right  Resisting,  he  shall  flee 
from  them,  Jam.  4.  7.  And  that  all  things  shall  work  together 
for  the  good  of  those  that  Love  the  Lord,  Rom.  8.  28.  So  that  I 
believe  Gods  Children  shall  be  gainers  by  the  assaults  of  Satan, 
which  occasion'd  this  Discourse;  which  that  they  may,  is  the 
Prayer  of,  Thine  in  the  Service  of  the  Gospel. 

JOHN  HALE. 

BEVERLY,  Decemb. 
15th,  1697. 

1  See  above,  p.  304,  note  3. 

2  Saducismus   Triumphatus  was  the  name  given  Glanvill's  book  in  the  en- 
larged edition  (1681)  brought  out  after  the  author's  death  by  Henry  More.     In 
later  impressions  the  word  becomes  Sadducismus.    As  to  Glanvill,  see  above,  p.  5. 


406         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1697 

A    MODEST    ENQUIRY,    INTO    THE    NATURE    OF 

WITCHCRAFT 

Chapter  I. 

Sect.  1.  The  Angels  who  kept  not  their  First  Estate,  by 
Sin  against  God,  lost  their  primitive  purity,  and  glorious  Ex- 
cellency, as  to  their  moral  qualifications,  and  became  unclean, 
wicked,  envious,  lyars,  and  full  of  all  wickedness,  which  as 
Spirits  they  are  capable  of.  Yet  I  do  not  find  in  Scripture 
that  they  lost  their  natural  abilities  of  understanding  or  power 
of  Operation. 

1.  As  for  their  Understanding,  they  are  called  Daimon 
(which  we  Translate  Devil)  because  they  are  full  of  wisdom, 
cunning,  skill,  subtilty   and   knowledge.    He  hath  also  the 
name  of  Serpent  from  his  subtilty,  2  Cor.  11.  3.    And  his 
knowledge  in  the  Scriptures,  and  wittiness  to  pervert  them, 
appears  by  his  quoting  Scripture  to  our  Saviour  when  he 
tempted  him.    Mat.  4. 

And  as  there  be  many  Devils,  and  these  active,  quick,  swift 
and  piercing  Spirits,  so  they  going  to  and  fro  in  the  earth, 
and  walking  up  and  down  in  it,  have  advantages  to  know  all 
the  actions  of  the  Children  of  men,  both  open  and  secret,  their 
discourses,  consultations,  and  much  of  the  inward  affections 
of  men  thereby;  though  still  its  Gods  prerogative  immediately 
to  know  the  heart.  Jer.  17.  10. 

2.  As  to  their  natural  power  as  Spirits,  its  very  great,  if 
not  equal  to  that  of  the  Holy  Angels:  For, 

1.  They  are  called  Principalities  and  Powers.    Rom.  8.  38. 
Eph.  6.  12.    Col.  2.  14,  15,  compared  with  Heb.  2.  14,  15. 
Now  these  are  names  given  to  the  Holy  Angels.    Eph.  1.  21, 
and  3.  10. 

2.  They  are  called,  Rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  the 
Prince  of  the  power  of  the  Air.    Eph.  6.  12  and  2.  2. 

3.  Such  was  their  power  that  they  contended  with  Michael 
and  the  Angels  about  the  Body  of  Moses.    2  Pet.  2.  11. 
Jude  9.     That  is,  as  I  conceive,  about  preventing  the  Burial 
of  the  Body  of  Moses:   For  it's  said,  Deut.  34.  6,  The  Lord 
buri(jd  him,  and  no  man  knoweth  of  his  Sepulcher  to  this  day. 


1697]  HALE,  A  MODEST  INQUIRY  407 

That  is,  he  did  it  by  the  Ministry  of  Angels  (for  the  Lord  gave 
the  Law,  Exod.  20.  1,  and  that  it  was  by  the  Ministry  of 
Angels,  see  Gal.  3.  19.  so  probably  was  the  burial  of  Moses's 
Body)  and  the  Devils  endeavour  if  possible,  to  discover 
Moses's  Body,  or  place  of  its  burial,  that  they  might  draw 
Israel  to  commit  Idolatry  in  worshipping  at  his  Tomb  (as  our 
Popish  Fore-fathers  did  at  Thomas  Beckets  in  Kent)  from  the 
Veneration  they  had  to  him  as  their  Law  giver. 

4.  The  Devils  actings  against  Job,  Chap.  1  and  2,  and  what 
he  did  to  the  Gadarene  Swine,  etc.,  Shew  his  great  power.  So 
that  we  may  conclude,  had  the  Devils  liberty  to  reveal  all 
that  they  know  of  the  affairs  of  mankind,  or  to  do  all  that  is 
in  their  power  to  perform,  they  would  bring  dreadful  confu- 
sions and  desolations  upon  the  World. 

Sect.  2.  The  way  God  governs  Devils  is  by  Chains.  2  Pet. 
2.  4.  Jude  6  ver.  Rev.  20.  1,  2,  7,  8,  whereby  they  are  kept 
Prisoners.  Men  are  governed  by  Laws,  by  convictions  of 
Conscience.  Rom.  2.  12,  13,  14,  15.  By  Scripture  Rules, 
Humane  Laws,  and  also  by  Gods  Spirit.  1  John  2.  20.  But 
Devils  have  no  such  Laws,  or  tenderness  of  Conscience  to 
bridle  or  restrain  them.  But  the  Lord  hath  his  Chains, 
which  are  called  Everlasting,  and  are  always  lasting;  so  that 
they  are  never  wholly  without  a  Chain.  This  Chain  is  some- 
times greater  and  shorter,  other  times  lesser  and  longer,  as  the 
Lord  pleaseth,  for  his  own  Glory,  Rev.  20.  1,  2,  7,  8.  For  as 
the  wrath  of  man  praiseth  the  Lord,  and  the  remainder  of  wrath  he 
doth  restrain,  Psal.  76.  10,  So  may  we  say  of  the  Devils  wrath. 

Sect.  3.  The  Devil  is  full  of  malice  against  man,  and  frames 
his  designs  against  him,  chiefly  to  destroy  his  Soul,  as,  1  Pet. 
5.  8,  2  Cor.  11.  3,  and  other  Scriptures  abundantly  testify. 
Hence  probably  at  sometimes  he  doth  not  all  the  hurt  to  mans 
Body  that  he  could,  lest  thereby  he  should  awaken  man  to 
repentance  and  prayer;  he  seeks  to  keep  men  in  a  false  peace. 
Luk.  11.  21.  Yet  at  other  times  he  disturbs  and  afflicts 
men  in  Body  and  Estate;  as  Scripture  and  experience  shew. 
Among  the  Devices  Satan  useth  to  ruine  man,  one  is  to  allure 
him  into  such  a  familiarity  with  him,  that  by  Sorceries,  In- 
chantments,  Divinations,  and  such  like,  he  may  lead  them 
Captive  at  his  pleasure.  This  snare  of  his  we  are  warned 
against,  Deut.  18.  10,  11,  and  in  other  Scriptures.  This  Sin 


40S         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1648 

of  men  hearkening  after  Satan  in  these  ways,  is  called  Witch- 
craft; of  which  it  is  my  purpose  to  treat:  But  first  I  shall 
speak  something  Historically  what  hath  been  done  in  New 
England,  in  prosecution  of  persons  suspected  of  this  Crime. 

Sect.  4.  Several  persons  have  been  Charged  with  and 
suffered  for  the  Crime  of  Witchcraft  in  the  Governments  of 
the  Massachusetts,  New  Haven,  or  Stratford1  and  Connecti- 
cut, from  the  year  1646  to  the  year  1692. 

Sect.  5.  The  first  was  a  Woman  of  Charlestown,  Anno 
1647  or  48.2  She  was  suspected  partly  because  that  after 
some  angry  words  passing  between  her  and  her  Neighbours, 
some  mischief  befel  such  Neighbours  in  their  Creatures,  or 
the  like :  partly  because  some  things  supposed  to  be  bewitched, 
or  have  a  Charm  upon  them,  being  burned,  she  came  to  the 
fire  and  seemed  concerned. 

The  day  of  her  Execution,  I  went  in  company  of  some 
Neighbours,3  who  took  great  pains  to  bring  her  to  confession 
and  repentance.  But  she  constantly  professed  her  self  inno- 
cent of  that  crime:  Then  one  prayed  her  to  consider  if  God 
did  not  bring  this  punishment  upon  her  for  some  other  crime, 
and  asked,  if  she  had  not  been  guilty  of  Stealing  many  years 
ago;  she  answered,  she  had  stolen  something,  but  it  was  long 
since,  and  she  had  repented  of  it,  and  there  was  Grace  enough 
in  Christ  to  pardon  that  long  agoe;  but  as  for  Witchcraft  she 
was  wholly  free  from  it,  and  so  she  said  unto  her  Death. 

Sect.  6.  Another  that  suffered  on  that  account  some  time 
after,  was  a  Dorchester  Woman.4  And  upon  the  day  of  her 

1  I.  e.,  "New  Haven  (or  Stratford) " :  Hale  was  not  sure  (see  p.  410)  whether 
the  case  in  mind  was  at  New  Haven  or  at  Stratford.     Stratford,  though  so  near 
New  Haven,  was  under  the  Connecticut  government.     Under  that  of  New  Haven 
there  were,  so  far  as  is  known,  no  witch-executions. 

2  Margaret  Jones,  executed  at  Boston  on  June  15,  1648.     See  Winthrop, 
Journal,  II.  344-345   (of  the  edition  in  this  series,  II.  397  of  ed.  of  1853), 
and  Poole  in  Memorial  History  of  Boston,  II.  135-137;  also,  above,  p.  363,  note 
2 — for  it  was  doubtless  to  Margaret  Jones  that  the  resolution  as  to  "watch- 
inge"  referred,  and  it  suggests  that  her  accusation  too  may  have  been  the  out- 
come of  the  witch-hunt  which  had  just  been  raging  in  the  Puritan  counties  of 
England.     She  was  not,  as  thinks  Hale,  the  first  New  England  victim;  in  Con- 
necticut Alse  Young  was  hanged,  May  26,  1647. 

a  The  writer  was  then  a  boy  of  twelve. 

4  Doubtless  that  "H.  Lake's  wife,  of  Dorchester,  whom,"  as  Nathaniel 
Mather  in  1684  wrote  to  his  brother  Increase  of  having  heard,  "the  devill  drew  in 


1648]  HALE,  A  MODEST  INQUIRY  409 

Execution  Mr.  Thompson  Minister  at  Brantry,1  and  J.  P.2 
her  former  Master  took  pains  with  her  to  bring  her  to  repen- 
tance, And  she  utterly  denyed  her  guilt  of  Witchcraft:  yet 
justifyed  God  for  bringing  her  to  that  punishment:  for  she 
had  when  a  single  woman  played  the  harlot,  and  being  with 
Child  used  means  to  destroy  the  fruit  of  her  body  to  conceal 
her  sin  and  shame,  and  although  she  did  not  effect  it,  yet  she 
was  a  Murderer  in  the  sight  of  God  for  her  endeavours,  and 
shewed  great  penitency  for  that  sin;  but  owned  nothing  of 
the  crime  laid  to  her  charge. 

Sect.  7.  Another  suffering  in  this  kind  was  a  Woman  of 
Cambridge,  against  whom  a  principal  evidence  was  a  Water- 
town  Nurse,  who  testifyed,  that  the  said  Kendal  (so  was  the 
accused  called)  did  bewitch  to  Death  a  Child  of  Goodman 
Genings  of  Watertown;  for  the  said  Kendal  did  make  much 
of  the  Child,  and  then  the  Child  was  well,  but  quickly  changed 
its  colour  and  dyed  in  a  few  hours  after.  The  Court  took  this 
evidence  among  others,  the  said  Genings  not  knowing  of  it. 
But  after  Kendal  was  Executed  (who  also  denyed  her  guilt 
to  the  Death,)  Mr.  Rich.  Brown  knowing  and  hoping  better 
things  of  Kendal,  asked  said  Genings  if  they  suspected  her  to 
bewitch  their  Child,  they  answered  No.  But  they  judged  the 
true  cause  of  the  Childs  Death  to  be  thus,  viz.  The  Nurse 
had  the  night  before  carryed  out  the  Child  and  kept  it  abroad 
in  the  Cold  a  long  time,  when  the  red  gum  was  come  out  upon 
it,  and  the  Cold  had  struck  in  the  red  gum,  and  this  they 
judged  the  cause  of  the  Childs  death."  And  that  said  Kendal 
did  come  in  that  day  and  make  much  of  the  Child,  but  they 
apprehended  no  wrong  to  come  to  the  Child  by  her.  After 
this  the  said  Nurse  was  put  into  Prison  for  Adultery,  and  there 
delivered  of  her  base  Child,  and  Mr.  Brown  went  to  her  and 
told  her,  It  was  just  with  God  to  leave  her  to  this  wickedness 

by  appearing  to  her  in  the  likenes,  and  acting  the  part  of  a  child  of  hers  then 
lately  dead,  on  whom  her  heart  was  much  set."  (See  Mather  Papers,  p.  58,  and 
Poole  in  N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen.  Register,  XXIV.  3,  note.)  Mather  had  lived  in 
Dorchester  prior  to  his  migration  to  England,  about  1650;  but,  as  he  had  been 
in  constant  communication  with  friends  in  America,  it  is  not  at  all  sure  that  his 
knowledge  of  this  case  antedates  his  leaving.  In  Hale's  account  there  seems  some 
confusion  with  the  case  of  Mary  Parsons  (p.  410). 

1  Braintree. 

2  Probably  John  Phillips  of  Dorchester — the  conjecture  is  Farmer's. 


410         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1656 

as  a  Punishment  for  her  Murdering  goody  Kendal  by  her  false 
witness  bearing.  But  the  Nurse  dyed  in  Prison,  and  so  the 
matter  was  not  farther  inquired  into. 

There  was  another  Executed,  of  Boston  Anno  1656.  for 
that  crime.1  And  two  or  three  of  Springfield,  one  of  which 
confessed;  and  said  the  occasion  of  her  familiarity  with  Satan 
was  this :  She  had  lost  a  Child  and  was  exceedingly  discontented 
at  it  and  longed;  Oh  that  she  might  see  her  Child  again! 
And  at  last  the  Devil  in  likeness  of  her  Child  came  to  her  bed 
side  and  talked  with  her,  and  asked  to  come  into  the  bed  to 
her,  and  she  received  it  into  the  bed  to  her  that  night  and 
several  nights  after,  and  so  entred  into  covenant  with  Satan 
and  became  a  Witch.2  This  was  the  only  confessor  in  these 
times  in  that  Government. 

Sect.  8.  Another  at  Hartford,  viz.  Mary  Johnson,  men- 
tioned in  Remarkable  Providences,  p.  62,  63,3  Confessed  her 
self  a  Witch.  Who  upon  discontent  and  slouthfulness  agreed 
with  the  Devil  to  do  her  work  for  her,  and  fetch  up  the  Swine. 
And  upon  her  immoderate  laughter  at  the  running  of  the 
Swine,  as  the  Devil  drove  them,  as  she  her  self  said,  was  sus- 
pected and  upon  examination  confessed.  I  have  also  heard 
of  a  Girl  at  New  Haven  or  Stratford,  that  confessed  her  guilt.4 
But  all  others  denyed  it  unto  the  death  unless  one  Greensmith, 
at  Hartford.5 

Sect.  9.  But  it  is  not  my  purpose  to  give  a  full  relation 
of  all  that  have  suffered  for  that  Sin,  or  of  all  the  particulars 

1  Mrs.  Ann  Hibbins,  widow  of  one  of  the  foremost  men  in  Boston  and  said 
to  have  been  a  sister  of  Governor  Bellingham.  (See  Records  of  Massachusetts, 
IV.,  pt.  1,  p.  269;  Hutchinson,  Massachusetts,  second  ed.,  I.  187-188;  Me- 
morial History  of  Boston,  II.  138-141.) 

1  This  was  the  case  of  Mary  Parsons  and  her  husband  Hugh,  whom  she 
accused  (1651).  (See  Drake,  Annals  of  Witchcraft,  pp.  64-72,  and  especially  the 
appended  papers  of  Hugh  Parsons's  case,  pp.  219-258.  The  originals  of  these 
papers  are  now  in  the  New  York  Public  Library.  Others,  from  the  Suffolk  court 
files,  are  printed  in  the  N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen.  Register,  XXXV.  152-153.) 

1  Not  in  the  Remarkable  Providences  of  Increase  Mather,  but  in  the  Memorable 
Providences  of  Cotton  Mather  at  the  pages  named  (see  above,  pp.  135-136). 

4  Probably  that  "Goody  Bassett"  who  was  on  trial  at  Stratford  in  1651 
(Connecticut  Records,  I.  220),  and  of  whom  we  know  from  testimony  given  at 
New  Haven  in  1654  (New  Haven  Records,  II.  83)  that  she  was  condemned  and 
that  she  confessed. 

6  See  above,  pp.  19-20. 


1697]  HALE,  A  MODEST  INQUIRY  411 

charged  upon  them,  which  probably  is  now  impossible,  many 
witnessing  Viva  voce,  those  particulars  which  were  not  fully 
recorded.  But  that  I  chiefly  intend  is  to  shew  the  principles 
formerly  acted  upon  in  Convicting  of  that  Crime;  which  were 
such  as  these. 

1.  The  first  great  principle  laid  down  by  a  person  Eminent 
for  Wisdom,  Piety  and  Learning1  was;  That  the  Devil  could 
not  assume  the  shape  of  an  innocent  person  in  doing  mischief 
unto  mankind:   for  if  the  Lord  should  suffer  him  in  this  he 
would  subvert  the  course  of  humane  Justice,  by  bringing  men 
to  suffer  for  what  he  did  in  their  Shapes. 

2.  Witchcraft  being  an  habitual  Crime,  one  single  witness 
to  one  Act  of  Witchcraft,  and  another  single  witness  to  an- 
other such  fact,  made  two  witnesses  against  the  Crime  and  the 
party  suspected. 

3.  There  was  searching  of  the  bodies  of  the  suspected  for 
such  like  teats,  or  spots  (which  writers  speak  of)  called  the 
Devils  marks;  and  if  found,  these  were  accounted  a  presump- 
tion at  least  of  guilt  in  those  that  had  them. 

4.  I  observed  that  people  laid  great  weight  upon  this; 
when  things  supposed  to  be  bewitched  were  burnt,  and  the 
suspected  person  came  to  the  fire  in  the  time  of  it.2    Although 
that   Eminent   person  above  said3  condemned  this  way  of 
tryal,  as  going  to  the  Devil  to  find  the  Devil. 

5.  If  after  anger  between  Neighbours  mischief  followed, 
this  oft  bred  suspicion  of  Witchcraft  in  the  matter.     In  fine, 
the  presumptions  and  convictions  used  in  former  times  were 
for  substance  the  same  which  we  may  read  of  in  Keeble  of  the 

1  When  in  1669  the  Connecticut  court  asked  the  ministers  their  opinion  as 
to  this  point,  they  answered  in  almost  these  words  (see  Taylor,  The  Witchcraft 
Delusion  in  Colonial  Connecticut,  p.  58).  This  opinion  is  said  to  be  in  the  hand- 
writing of  the  Rev.  Gershom  Bulkeley,  the  author  of  Will  and  Doom.  But  it  does 
not  follow  that  he  was  its  author,  much  less  that  he  was  the  originator  of  this 
dictum.  Whatever  its  source,  it  is  to  be  suspected  that  it  had  originally  nothing 
to  do  with  "spectral  evidence,"  but  was  only  a  protest  against  such  pleas  as  that 
of  the  bishop  who,  caught  under  the  bed  of  a  nun,  maintained  later  that  the  cul- 
prit was  only  the  Devil  impersonating  him.  On  Bulkeley  and  his  rational  atti- 
tude toward  later  charges  of  witchcraft,  see  his  Will  and  Doom  (Conn.  Hist.  Soc., 
Collections,  III.),  introduction  and  pp.  233-235. 

*  See  above,  p.  239,  note  1. 

3  See  above,  in  paragraph  1. 


412         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES        [1680 

Common  Law,1  and  in  Bernard,2  and  other  Authors  of  that 
subject. 

Sect.  10.  About  16  or  17  years  since  was  accused  a  Woman 
of  Newbury,3  and  upon  her  tryal  the  Jury  brought  her  in 
Guilty.  Yet  the  Governour  Simon  Bradstreet  Esq.  and  some 
of  the  Magistrates  repreived  her,  being  unsatisfyed  in  the 
Verdict  upon  these  grounds. 

1.  They  were  not  satisfyed  that  a  Specter  doing  mischief 
in  her  likeness,  should  be  imputed  to  her  person,  as  a  ground 
of  guilt. 

2.  They  did  not  esteem  one  single  witness  to  one  fact, 
and  another  single  witness  to  another  fact,  for  two  witnesses, 
against  the  person  in  a  matter  Capital.    She  being  reprived, 
was  carried  to  her  own  home,  and  her  Husband  (who  was 
esteemed  a  Sincere  and  understanding  Christian  by  those  that 
knew  him)  desired  some  Neighbour  Ministers,  of  whom  I  was 
one,  to  meet  together  and  discourse  his  Wife;  the  which  we  did : 
and  her  discourse  was  very  Christian  among  us,  and  still 
pleaded  her  innocence  as  to  that  which  was  laid  to  her  charge. 
We  did  not  esteem  it  prudence  for  us  to  pass  any  definitive 
Sentance  upon  one  under  her  circumstances,  yet  we  inclined 
to  the  more  charitable  side. 

In  her  last  Sickness  she  was  in  much  darkness  and  trouble 
of  Spirit,  which  occasioned  a  Judicious  friend  to  examine  her 
strictly,  Whether  she  had  been  guilty  of  Witchcraft,  but  she 
said  No:  But  the  ground  of  her  trouble  was  some  impatient 
and  passionate  Speeches  and  Actions  of  hers  while  in  Prison, 
upon  the  account  of  her  suffering  wrongfully;  whereby  she 
had  provoked  the  Lord,  by  putting  some  contempt  upon  his 
word.  And  in  fine,  she  sought  her  pardon  and  comfort  from 
God  in  Christ,  and  dyed  so  far  as  I  understood,  praying  to 
and  resting  upon  God  in  Christ  for  Salvation. 

Sect.  11.  The  next  that  Suffered  was  an  Irish  Woman  of 
Boston,4  suspected  to  bewitch  John  Goodwins  Children,  who 
upon  her  Tryal  did  in  Irish  (as  was  testified  by  the  Interpreters) 
confess  her  self  guilty,  and  was  condemned  out  of  her  own 

1  What  is  meant,  as  is  clear  from  Kale's  later  quotations,  is  Keble's  Assis- 
tance to  Justices.  See  above,  p.  163,  note  2. 

1  See  above,  p.  304,  note  5.  *  Mrs.  Morse.    See  above,  pp.  23-31. 

4  Goody  Glover.    See  above,  pp.  100  S. 


1691]  HALE,  A  MODEST  INQUIRY  413 

mouth;  (as  Christ  saith,  Luk.  19.  22.  Out  of  thine  own  mouth 
will  I  Judge  thee.)  The  History  of  which  is  published  by 
Mr.  Cotton  Mather,  (and  attested  by  the  other  Ministers  of 
Boston  and  Charlstown.)  in  his  Book,  Entituled,  Memorable 
Providences,  Printed  Anno  1689.1  Thus  far  of  the  History 
of  Witches  before  the  year,  1692. 

Chapter  II. 

I.  In  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1691,2  Mr.  Samuel  Paris, 
Pastor  of  the  Church  in  Salem-Village,  had  a  Daughter  of 
Nine,  and  a  Neice  of  about  Eleven  years  of  Age,  sadly  Afflicted 
of  they  knew  not  what  Distempers;  and  he  made  his  applica- 
tion to  Physitians,  yet  still  they  grew  worse:  And  at  length 
one  Physitian  gave  his  opinion,  that  they  were  under  an  Evil 
Hand.  This  the  Neighbours  quickly  took  up,  and  concluded 
they  were  bewitched.  He  had  also  an  Indian  Man  servant, 
and  his  Wife  who  afterwards  confessed,  that  without  the 
knowledge  of  their  Master  or  Mistress,  they  had  taken  some 
of  the  Afflicted  persons  Urine,  and  mixing  it  with  meal  had 
made  a  Cake,  and  baked  it,  to  find  out  the  Witch,  as  they 
said.  After  this,  the  Afflicted  persons  cryed  out  of  the  Indian 
Woman,  named  Tituba,  that  she  did  pinch,  prick,  and  griev- 
ously  torment  them,  and  that  they  saw  her  here  and  there, 
where  no  body  else  could.  Yea  they  could  tell  where  she  was, 
and  what  she  did,  when  out  of  their  humane  sight.  These 
Children  were  bitten  and  pinched  by  invisible  agents;  their 
arms,  necks,  and  backs  turned  this  way  and  that  way,  and 
returned  back  again,  so  as  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  do  of 
themselves,  and  beyond  the  power  of  any  Epileptick  Fits,  or 
natural  Disease  to  effect.  Sometimes  they  were  taken  dumb, 
their  mouths  stopped,  their  throats  choaked,  their  limbs 
wracked  and  tormented  so  as  might  move  an  heart  of  stone, 
to  sympathize  with  them,  with  bowels  of  compassion  for  them. 
I  will  not  enlarge  in  the  description  of  their  cruel  Sufferings, 
because  they  were  in  all  things  afflicted  as  bad  as  John  Good- 
wins Children  at  Boston,  in  the  year  1689.  So  that  he  that 

1  See  above,  pp.  91  ff. 

2  /.  e.,  in  February  and  March  of  the  year  we  call  1692.     As  to  all  this  story 
see  above  the  parallel  narratives  of  Lawson  (pp.  147  ff.)  and  Calef  (pp.  341  ff.). 


414         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

will  read  Mr.  Mathers  Book  of  Memorable  Providences,  page  3, 
etc.,  may  Read  part  of  what  these  Children,  and  afterwards 
sundry  grown  persons  suffered  by  the  hand  of  Satan,  at  Salem 
Village,  and  parts  adjacent,  Anno  1691,  2.  Yet  there  was 
more  in  these  Sufferings,  than  in  those  at  Boston,  by  pins  in- 
visibly stuck  into  their  flesh,  pricking  with  Irons,  (As  in  part 
published  in  a  Book  Printed  1693,  viz.  The  Wonders  of  the 
Invisible  World).1  Mr.  Paris  seeing  the  distressed  condition 
of  his  Family,  desired  the  presence  of  some  Worthy  Gentle- 
men of  Salem,  and  some  Neighbour  Ministers  to  consult  to- 
gether at  his  House;  who  when  they  came,  and  had  enquired 
diligently  into  the  Sufferings  of  the  Afflicted,  concluded  they 
were  preternatural,  and  feared  the  hand  of  Satan  was  in  them. 

II.  The  advice  given  to  Mr.  Paris  by  them  was,  that  he 
should  sit  still  and  wait  upon  the  Providence  of  God  to  see 
what  time  might  discover;  and  to  be  much  in  prayer  for  the 
discovery  of  what  was  yet  secret.    They  also  Examined  Tituba, 
who  confessed  the  making  a  Cake,  as  is  above  mentioned,  and 
said  her  Mistress  in  her  own  Country  was  a  Witch,  and  had 
taught  her  some  means  to  be  used  for  the  discovery  of  a  Witch 
and  for  the  prevention  of  being  bewitched,  etc.   But  said  that 
she  her  self  was  not  a  Witch. 

III.  Soon  after  this,  there  were  two  or  three  private  Fasts 
at  the  Ministers  House,  one  of  which  was  kept  by  sundry 
Neighbour  Ministers,  and  after  this,  another  in  Publick  at  the 
Village,  and  several  days  afterwards  of  publick  Humiliation, 
during  these  molestations,  not  only  there,  but  in  other  Con- 
gregations for  them.    And  one  General  Fast  by  Order  of  the 
General  Court,  observed  throughout  the  Colony  to  seek  the 
Lord  that  he  would  rebuke  Satan,  and  be  a  light  unto  his 
people  in  this  day  of  darkness.2 

But  I  return  to  the  History  of  these  troubles.  In  a  short 
time  after  other  persons  who  were  of  age  to  be  witnesses,  were 
molested  by  Satan,  and  in  their  fits  cryed  out  upon  Tituba 
and  Goody  0.  and  S.  G.3  that  they  or  Specters  in  their  Shapes 
did  grievously  torment  them;  hereupon  some  of  their  Village 

1  See  above,  pp.  205  ff. 

1  This  fast,  enacted  on  May  6,  was  celebrated  on  May  26,  1692  (Massachu- 
setts Acts  and  Resolves,  VII.  459). 
*  Sarah  Osborn  and  Sarah  Good. 


1692]  HALE,  A  MODEST  INQUIRY  416 


Neighbours  complained  to  the  Magistrates  at  Salem,  desiring 
they  would  come  and  examine  the  afflicted  and  accused  to- 
gether; the  which  they  did:  the  effect  of  which  examination 
was,  that  Tituba  confessed  she  was  a  Witch,  and  that  she  with 
the  two  others  accused  did  torment  and  bewitch  the  com- 
plainers,  and  that  these  with  two  others  whose  names  she 
knew  not,  had  their  Witch-meeting  together;  relating  the 
times  when  and  places  where  they  met,  with  many  other  cir- 
cumstances to  be  seen  at  large.  Upon  this  the  said  Tituba 
and  0.  and  S.  G.  were  committed  to  Prison  upon  suspicion  of 
acting  Witchcraft.  After  this  the  said  Tituba  was  again  ex- 
amined in  Prison,  and  owned  her  first  confession  in  all  points, 
and  then  was  her  self  afflicted  and  complained  of  her- fellow 
Witches  tormenting  of -her,  for  her  confession,  and  accusing 
them,  and  being  searched  by  a  Woman,  she  was  found  to  have 
upon  her  body  the  marks  of  the  Devils  wounding  of  her. 

IV.  Here  were  these  things  rendred  her  confession  credi- 
ble.    (1.)  That  at  this  examination  she  answered  every  ques- 
tion just  as  she  did  at  the  first.    And  it  was  thought  that  if 
she  had  feigned  her  confession,  she  could  not  have  remembred 
her  answers  so  exactly.    A  lyar  we  say,  had  need  of  a  good 
memory,  but  truth  being  always  consistent  with  it  self  is  the 
same  to  day  as  it  was  yesterday.     (2.)  She  seemed  very  peni- 
tent for  her  Sin  in  covenanting  with  the  Devil.     (3.)  She  be- 
came a  sufferer  her  self  and  as  she  said  for  her  confession. 
(4.)  Her  confession  agreed  exactly  (which  was  afterwards  veri- 
fied in  the  other  confessors)  with  the  accusations  of  the  afflicted. 
Soon  after  these  afflicted  persons  complained  of  other  persons 
afflicting  of  them  in  their  fits,  and  the  number  of  the  afflicted 
and  accused  began  to  increase.    And  the  success  of  Tituba's 
confession  encouraged  those  in  Authority  to  examine  others 
that  were  suspected,  and  the  event  was,  that  more  confessed 
themselves  guilty  of  the  Crimes  they  were  suspected  for.    And 
thus  was  this  matter  driven  on. 

V.  I  observed  in  the  prosecution  of  these  affairs,  that 
there  was  in  the  Justices,  Judges  and  others  concerned,  a  con- 
scientious endeavour  to  do  the  thing  that  was  right.     And  to 
that  end  they  consulted  the  Presidents1  of  former  times  and 
precepts  laid  down  by  Learned  Writers  about  Witchcraft. 

1  Precedents. 


416         NARRATIVES  OP  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

As  Keeble  on  the  Common  Law,  Chapt.  Conjuration,  (an  Author 
approved  by  the  Twelve  Judges  of  our  Nation.)1  Also  Sir 
Mathew  Hales  Tryal  of  Witches,  Printed  Anno  1682.2  Glan- 
vils  Collection  of  sundry  tryals  in  England  and  Ireland,  in  the 
years  1658,  61,  63,  64,  and  81. 3  Bernards  Guide  to  Jurymen,4 
Baxter  and  R.  Burton,  their  Histories  about  Witches  and  their 
discoveries.5  Cotton  Mather's  Memorable  Providences  relating 
to  Witchcrafts,  Printed  Anno  1689. 

VI.  But  that  which  chiefly  carried  on  this  matter  to  such 
an  height,  was  the  increasing  of  confessors  till  they  amounted 
to  near  about  Fifty :  and  four  or  six  of  them  upon  their  tryals 
owned  their  guilt  of  this  crime,  and  were  condemned  for  the 
same,  but  not  Executed.  And  many  of  the  confessors  con- 
firmed their  confessions  with  very  strong  circumstances:  As 
their  exact  agreement  with  the  accusations  of  the  afflicted; 
their  punctual  agreement  with  their  fellow  confessors;  their 
relating  the  times  when  they  covenanted  with  Satan,  and  the 
reasons  that  moved  them  thereunto;  their  Witch  meetings, 
and  that  they  had  their  mock  Sacraments  of  Baptism  and  the 
Supper,  in  some  of  them ;  their  signing  the  Devils  book :  and 
some  shewed  the  Scars  of  the  wounds  which  they  said  were 
made  to  fetch  blood  with,  to  sign  the  Devils  book;  and  some 

1  See  above,  p.  163,  note  2.     "Conjuration"  is  the  heading  given  by  Keble 
to  his  section  on  witchcraft  (pp.  217-220). 

2  The  account  is  not  Sir  Matthew's  own,  nor  yet  an  official  record,  but  one 
taken  down  "for  his  own  satisfaction"  "by  a  Person  then  Attending  the  Court," 
and  so  did  not  till  1682  find  its  way  into  print.     As  we  have  seen  (p.  215,  note  1) 
it  was  embodied  by  Cotton  Mather  in  his  Wonders. 

3  See  above,  pp.  5-6. 

4  See  above,  p.  304,  note  5. 

5  Baxter's  Certainty  of  the  Worlds  of  Spirits  (1691),  really  a  collection  of 
witch  stories,  has  been  earlier  described  (p.  98,  note  2).     The  name  of  "R.  Bur- 
ton," or  "R.  B.,"  the  pseudonym  under  which  the  prolific  London  publisher 
Nathaniel  Crouch  concealed  his  identity,  is  attached  to  a  multitude  of  chap- 
books;  but  that  here  in  question  was  undoubtedly  his  The  Kingdom  of  Darkness 
(London,  1688),  a  pictorial  "history  of  daemons,  specters,  witches,  apparitions, 
possessions,  disturbances,  and  other  wonderful  and  supernatural  delusions,  mis- 
chievous feats,  and  malicious  impostures  of  the  Devil,"  "together  with  a  preface 
obviating  the  common  objections  and  allegations  of  the  Sadduces  and  Atheists 
of  the  age."     It  is,  in  other  words,  a  credulous  hodge-podge  of  all  the  older  witch 
and  devil  tales  that  could  be  packed  into  its  duodecimo  pages;  tales  made  vivid 
by  its  startling  frontispiece  and  the  crude  but  awful  woodcuts  that  adorn  its 
text. 


1692]  HALE,  A  MODEST  INQUIRY  417 

said  they  had  Imps  to  suck  them,  and  shewed  Sores  raw  where 
they  said  they  were  sucked  by  them. 

VII.  I  shall  give  the  Reader  a  tast  of  these  things  in  a 
few  Instances.  The  Afflicted  complained  that  the  Spectres 
which  vexed  them,  urged  them  to  set  their  Hands  to  a  Book 
represented  to  them  (as  to  them  it  seemed)  with  threatnings 
of  great  torments,  if  they  signed  not,  and  promises  of  ease  if 
they  obeyed. 

Among  these  D.  H.1  did  as  she  said  (which  sundry  others 
confessed  afterwards)  being  overcome  by  the  extremity  of  her 
pains,  sign  the  Book  presented,  and  had  the  promised  ease;  and 
immediately  upon  it  a  Spectre  in  her  Shape  afflicted  another 
person,  and  said,  I  have  signed  the  Book  and  have  ease,  now 
do  you  sign,  and  so  shall  you  have  ease.  And  one  day  this 
afflicted  person  pointed  at  a  certain  place  in  the  room,  and 
said,  there  is  D.  H.,  upon  which  a  man  with  his  Rapier  struck 
at  the  place,  though  he  saw  no  Shape ;  and  the  Afflicted  called 
out,  saying,  you  have  wounded  her  side,  and  soon  after  the 
afflicted  person  pointed  at  another  place,  saying,  there  she  is; 
whereupon  a  man  struck  at  the  place,  and  the  afflicted  said, 
you  have  given  her  a  small  prick  about  the  eye.  Soon  after 
this,  the  said  D.  H.  confessed  her  self  to  be  made  a  Witch  by 
signing  the  Devils  Book  as  above  said;  and  declared  that  she 
had  afflicted  the  Maid  that  complained  of  her,  and  in  doing 
of  it  had  received  two  wounds  by  a  Sword  or  Rapier,  a  small 
one  about  the  eye,  which  she  shewed  to  the  Magistrates,  and 
a  bigger  on  the  side  of  which  she  was  searched  by  a  discreet 
woman,  who  reported,  that  D.  H.  had  on  her  side  the  sign  of 
a  wound  newly  healed. 

This  D.  H.  confessed  that  she  was  at  a  Witch  Meeting  at 
Salem  Village,  where  were  many  persons  that  she  named, 
some  of  whom  were  in  Prison  then  or  soon  after  upon  suspicion 
of  Witchcraft:  And  the  said  G.  B.2  preached  to  them,  and 
such  a  Woman  was  their  Deacon,  and  there  they  had  a  Sacra- 
ment. 

~  VIII.  Several  others  after  this  confessed  the  same  things 
r 

Deliverance  Hobbs — called  by  error  "Deborah"  on  p.  347.  The  court 
record  of  her  examination  may  be  found  in  Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft,  II.  186- 
192. 

1  George  Burroughs. 


418        NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES        [1692 

with  D.  H.  In  particular  Goody  F.1  said  (Inter  alia*)  that 
she  with  two  others  (one  of  whom  acknowledged  the  same) 
Rode  from  Andover  to  the  same  Village  Witch  meeting  upon 
a  stick  above  ground,  and  that  in  the  way  the  stick  brake,  and 
gave  the  said  F.  a  fall :  whereupon,  said  she,  I  got  a  fall  and 
hurt  of  which  I  am  still  sore.  I  happened  to  be  present  in 
Prison  when  this  F.  owned  again  her  former  confession  to  the 
Magistrates.  And  then  I  moved  she  might  be  further  ques- 
tioned about  some  particulars:  It  was  answered,  the  Magis- 
trates had  not  time  to  stay  longer;  but  I  should  have  liberty 
to  Examine  her  farther  by  my  self;  The  which  thing  I  did; 
and  I  asked  her  if  she  rode  to  the  Meeting  on  a  Stick;  she 
said,  yea.  I  enquired  what  she  did  for  Victuals ;  she  answered 
that  she  carried  Bread  and  Cheese  in  her  pocket,  and  that  she 
and  the  Andover  Company  came  to  the  Village  before  the 
Meeting  began,  and  sat  down  together  under  a  tree  and  eat 
their  food,  and  that  she  drank  water  out  of  a  Brook  to  quench 
her  thirst.  And  that  the  Meeting  was  upon  a  plain  grassy 
place,  by  which  was  a  Cart  path,  and  sandy  ground  in  the  path, 
in  which  were  the  tracks  of  Horses  feet.  And  she  also  told 
me  how  long  they  were  going  and  returning.  And  some  time 
after  told  me,  she  had  some  trouble  upon  her  spirit,  and  when 
I  enquired  what?  she  said,  she  was  in  fear  that  G.  B.  and  M.  C.3 
would  kill  her;  for  they  appeared  unto  her  (hi  Spectre,  for 
their  persons  were  kept  in  other  Rooms  in  the  Prison)  and 
brought  a  sharp  pointed  iron  like  a  spindle,  but  four  square, 
and  threatned  to  stab  her  to  death  with  it;  because  she  had 
confessed  her  Witchcraft,  and  told  of  them,  that  they  were  with 
her,  and  that  M.  C.  above  named  was  the  person  that  made 
her  a  Witch.  About  a  month  after  the  said  F.  took  occasion 
to  tell  me  the  same  Story  of  her]  fears  that  G.  B.  and J8|.  C.4 
would  kill  her,  and  that  the  thing  was  much  upon  her  Spirits. 
IX.  It  was  not  long  before  M.  L.5  Daughter  of  said  F. 
confessed  that  she  rode  with  her  Mother  to  the  said  Witch 

1  Ann  Foster.  See  above,  pp.  244,  366.  As  her  son  later  alleged,  she 
"suffered  imprisonment  twenty-one  weeks  and  upon  her  Try  all  was  condemned 
for  supposed  witchcraft  .  .  .  and  died  in  prison." 

*  "Among  other  things." 

1  Martha  Carrier.     See  above,  pp.  241-244. 

4  Doubtless  a  printer's  error  for  M.  C.  (Martha  Carrier). 

1  Mary  Lacy.     See  pp.  244,  366.     Though  condemned,  she  escaped  death. 


1692]  HALE,  A  MODEST  INQUIRY  419 

Meeting,  and  confirmed  the  substance  of  her  Mothers  Confes- 
sion. At  another  time,  M.  L.  junior  the  Grand  Daughter, 
aged  about  seventeen  years,  confesseth  the  substance  of  what 
her  Grand  mother  and  Mother  had  related,  and  declareth, 
that  when  they  with  E.  C.1  rode  on  a  stick  or  pole  in  the  Air, 
She  the  said  Grand-Daughter  with  R.  C.2  Rode  upon  another; 
(and  she  said  R.  C.  acknowledged  the  same)  and  that  they  sat 
their  hands  to  the  Devils  Book.  And  (inter  alia)  said,  "  0 
Mother,  why  did  you  give  me  to  the  Devil?"  twice  or  thrice 
over.  The  Mother  said,  she  was  sorry  at  the  heart  for  it,  it 
was  through  that  wicked  one.  Her  Daughter  bid  her  repent 
and  call  upon  God.  And  said,  "  Oh  Mother,  your  wishes  are 
now  come  to  pass!  for  how  often  have  you  wished  that  the 
Devil  would  fetch  me  away  alive?"  And  then  said,  "Oh!  my 
heart  will  break  within  me";  Then  she  wept  bitterly,  crying 
out,  "0  Lord  comfort  me,  and  bring  out  all  the  Witches."  And 
she  said  to  her  Grandmother,  aO  Grandmother,  why  did  you 
give  me  to  the  Devil?  Why  did  you  perswade  me,  0  Grand- 
mother do  not  deny  it."  Then  the  Grandmother  gave  account 
of  several  things  about  their  confederates  and  acts  of  Witch- 
crafts too  long  to  rehearse. 

Chapter  III. 

Nextly  I  will  insert  the  Confession  of  a  man  about  Forty 
years  of  Age,  W.  B.,3  which  he  wrote  himself  in  Prison,  and 
sent  to  the  Magistrates,  to  confirm  his  former  Confession  to 
them,  viz. 

God  having  called  me  to  Confess  my  sin  and  Apostasy  in  that 
fall  in  giving  the  Devil  advantage  over  me  appearing  to  me  like  a 
Black,  in  the  evening  to  set  my  hand  to  his  Book,  as  I  have  owned 
to  my  shame.  He  told  me  that  I  should  not  want  so  doing.  At 
Salem  Village,  there  being  a  little  off  the  Meeting-House,  about  an 
hundred  five  Blades,4  some  with  Rapiers  by  their  side,  which  was 
called  and  might  be  more  for  ought  I  know  by  B  and  Bu.5  and  the 

1  Again  a  misprint  for  M.  C.  (see  Mary  Lacy's  testimony  in  Records  of  Salem 
Witchcraft,  II.  140:   "her  mother  Foster,  Goody  Carrier  and  herself  rid  upon  a 
pole  to  Salem  Village  meeting"). 

2  Richard  Carrier,  son  of  Martha.  3  William  Barker,  of  Andover. 
4  Bravoes.  B  Bishop  and  Burroughs? 


420         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

Trumpet  sounded,  and  Bread  and  Wine  which  they  called  the  Sacra- 
ment, but  I  had  none;  being  carried  over  all  on  a  Stick,  never  being 
at  any  other  Meeting.  I  being  at  Cart  a  Saturday  last,  all  the  day, 
of  Hay  and  English  Corn,  the  Devil  brought  my  Shape  to  Salem, 
and  did  afflict  M.  S.1  and  R.  F.2  by  ditching  my  Hand;  and  a  Sab- 
bath day  my  Shape  afflicted  A.  M.3  and  at  night  afflicted  M.  S.  and 
A.  M.  E.  I.4  and  A.  F.8  have  been  my  Enticers  to  this  great  abomi- 
nation, as  one  have  owned  and  charged  her  to  her  Sister  with  the 
same.  And  the  design  was  to  Destroy  Salem  Village,  and  to  begin 
at  the  Ministers  House,  and  to  destroy  the  Church  of  God,  and  to 
set  up  Satans  Kingdom,  and  then  all  will  be  well.  And  now  I  hope 
God  in  some  measure  has  made  me  something  sensible  of  my  sin  and 
apostasy,  begging  pardon  of  God,  and  of  the  Honourable  Magistrates 
and  all  Gods  people,  hoping  and  promising  by  the  help  of  God,  to  set 
to  my  heart  and  hand  to  do  what  in  me  lyeth  to  destroy  such  wicked 
worship,  humbly  begging  the  prayers  of  all  Gods  People  for  me,  I 
may  walk  humbly  under  this  great  affliction  and  that  I  may  procure 
to  my  self,  the  sure  mercies  of  David,  and  the  blessing  of  Abraham. 

Concerning  this  Confession.  (1)  Note  it  was  his  own  free 
act  in  Prison.  (2)  He  saith  the  Devil  like  a  Black.  This  he 
had  before  explained  to  be  like  a  Black  man.  (3)  That  on  a 
certain  day  was  heard  in  the  Air  the  sound  of  a  Trumpet  at 
Salem  Village  nigh  the  Meeting-House,  and  upon  all  enquiry 
it  could  not  be  found  that  any  mortal  man  did  sound  it.  (4) 
The  three  persons  he  saith  the  Devil  in  his  Shape  afflicted, 
had  been  as  to  the  times  and  manner  afflicted  as  he  confesseth. 

(5)  That  E.  I.  confessed  as  much  as  W.  B.  chargeth  her  with. 

(6)  Many  others  confessed  a  Witch  Meeting,  or  Witch  meet- 
ings at  the  Village  as  well  as  he. 

Note  also  that  these  Confessors  did  not  only  witness  against 
themselves,  but  against  one  another;  and  against  many  if  not 
all  those  that  Suffered  for  that  Crime.  As  for  example,  when 

1  Martha  Sprague.  2  Rose  Foster.  *  Abigail  Martin. 

4  Elizabeth  Johnson.  Her  daughter,  of  the  same  name,  was  also  accused 
and  confessed  (see  p.  382,  note  4,  above). 

1  Abigail  Falkner.  She  and  her  sister  Elizabeth  Johnson  were  daughters  of 
the  Rev.  Francis  Dane  (or  Deane),  senior  pastor  at  Andover,  who  seems  from 
the  first  to  have  stood  against  the  panic  and  who  was  largely  instrumental  in 
ending  it.  All  those  here  accused  were  Andover  folk,  neighbors  of  Barker. 
See  as  to  them  Mrs.  Bailey's  chapter  on  "Witchcraft  at  Andover"  (in  her  His- 
torical Sketches  of  Andover). 


1692]  HALE,  A  MODEST  INQUIRY  421 

G.  B.1  was  Tryed,  seven  or  eight  of  these  Confessors  severally 
called,  said,  they  knew  the  said  B.  and  saw  him  at  a  Witch- 
Meeting  at  the  Village,  and  heard  him  exhort  the  Company 
to  pull  down  the  Kingdom  of  God,  and  set  up  the  Kingdom  of 
the  Devil.  He  denied  all,  yet  said  he  justified  the  Judges  and 
Jury  in  Condemning  of  him ;  because  there  were  so  many  posi- 
tive witnesses  against  him :  But  said  he  dyed  by  false  Witnesses. 
I  seriously  spake  to  one  that  witnessed  (of  his  Exhorting  at  the 
Witch  Meeting  at  the  Village)  saying  to  her;  You  are  one  that 
bring  this  man  to  Death,  if  you  have  charged  any  thing  upon 
him  that  is  not  true,  recal  it  before  it  be  too  late,  while  he  is 
alive.  She  answered  me,  she  had  nothing  to  charge  her  self 
with,  upon  that  account. 

M.  C.2  had  to  witness  against  her,  two  or  three  of  her  own 
Children,  and  several  of  her  Neighbours  that  said  they  were 
in  confederacy  with  her  in  their  Witchcraft. 

A.  F.3  Had  three  of  her  Children,  and  some  of  the  Neigh- 
bours, her  own  Sister,  and  a  Servant,  who  confessed  themselves 
Witches,  and  said,  she  was  in  confederacy  with  them:  But 
alas,  I  am  weary  with  relating  particulars;  those  that  would 
see  more  of  this  kind,  let  them  have  recourse  to  the  Records. 

By  these  things  you  see  how  this  matter  was  carried  on, 
viz.  chiefly  by  the  complaints  and  accusations  of  the  Afflicted, 
Bewitched  ones,  as  it  was  supposed,  and  then  by  the  Confes- 
sions of  the  Accused,  condemning  themselves,  and  others. 
Yet  experience  shewed  that  the  more  there  were  apprehended, 
the  more  were  still  Afflicted  by  Satan,  and  the  number  of  Con- 
fessors increasing,  did  but  increase  the  number  of  the  Accused, 
and  the  Executing  some,  made  way  for  the  apprehending  of 
others;  for  still  the  Afflicted  complained  of  being  tormented  by 
new  objects  as  the  former  were  removed.  So  that  those  that 
were  concerned,  grew  amazed  at  the  numbers  and  quality  of 
the  persons  accused  and  feared  that  Satan  by  his  wiles  had  in- 
wrapped  innocent  persons  under  the  imputation  of  that  Crime. 

1  George  Burroughs.  2  Martha  Carrier. 

3  Abigail  Falkner  (see  pp.  366,  420).  "She  was  urged,"  says  the  record, 
"to  confes  the  truth  for  the  creddit  of  hir  Town,"  but  "she  refused  to  do  it,  saying 
God  would  not  require  her  to  confess  that  that  she  was  not  guilty  of"  (Records 
of  Salem  Witchcraft,  II.  128-135,  where  may  also  be  found  the  evidence  against 
her).  She  was  condemned,  but  not  executed. 


422         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

And  at  last  it  was  evidently  seen  that  there  must  be  a  stop  put, 
or  the  Generation  of  the  Children  of  God  would  fall  under  that 
condemnation. 

Henceforth  therefore  the  Juries  generally  acquitted  such 
as  were  Tried,  fearing  they  had  gone  too  far  before.  And  Sir 
William  Phips,  Governour,  Reprieved  all  that  were  Condemned, 
even  the  Confessors,  as  well  as  others.  And  the  Confessors 
generally  fell  off  from  their  Confessions;  some  saying,  they 
remembred  nothing  of  what  they  said;  others  said  they  had 
belied  themselves  and  others.  Some  brake  Prison  and  ran 
away,  and  were  not  strictly  searched  after,  some  acquitted, 
some  dismissed  and  one  way  or  other  all  that  had  been  accused 
were  set  or  left  at  liberty. 

And  although  had  the  times  been  calm,  the  condition  of 
the  Confessors  might  have  called  for  a  melius  inquirendum;1 
yet  considering  the  combustion2  and  confusion  this  matter 
had  brought  us  unto ;  it  was  thought  safer  to  under  do  than  over 
do,  especially  in  matters  Capital,  where  what  is  once  compleated 
cannot  be  retrieved :  but  what  is  left  at  one  time,  may  be  cor- 
rected at  another,  upon  a  review  and  clearer  discovery  of  the 
state  of  the  Case.  Thus  this  matter  issued  somewhat  abruptly. 

Chapter  IV. 

Here  was  generally  acknowledged  to  be  an  error  (at  least 
on  the  one  hand)  but  the  Querie  is,  Wherein? 

[A.]  1.  I  have  heard  it  said,  That  the  Presidents3  in  England 
were  not  so  exactly  followed,  because  in  those  there  had  been 
previous  quarrels  and  threatnings  of  the  Afflicted  by  those 
that  were  Condemned  for  Witchcraft ;  but  here,  say  they,  not 
so.  To  which  I  answer. 

1.  In  many  of  these  cases  there  had  been  antecedent  per- 
sonal quarrels,  and  so  occasions  of  revenge;  for  some  of  those 
Condemned,  had  been  suspected  by  their  Neighbours  several 
years,  because  after  quarrelling  with  their  Neighbours,  evils 
had  befallen  those  Neighbours.  As  may  be  seen  in  the  Printed 
Tryals  of  S.  M.  and  B.  B.4  and  others:  See  Wonders  of  the  In- 

1  "Better  investigation" — i.  e.,  &  writ  for  a  fresh  inquiry. 

1  Excitement.  J  Precedents. 

4  Susannah  Martin  and  Bridget  Bishop. 


1692]  HALE,  A  MODEST  INQUIRY  423 

visible  World,  Page  105  to  137.1    And  there  were  other  like 
Cases  not  Printed. 

2.  Several  confessors  acknowledged  they  engaged  in  the 
quarrels  of  other  their  confederates  to  afflict  persons.     As  one 
Timothy  Swan  suffered  great  things  by  Witchcrafts,  as  he 
supposed  and  testifyed.    And  several  of  the  confessors  said 
they  did  so  torment  him  for  the  sake  of  one  of  their  partners 
who  had  some  offence  offer' d  her  by  the  said  Swan.    And  others 
owned  they  did  the  like  in  the  behalf  of  some  of  their  con- 
federates.2 

3.  There  were  others  that  confessed  their  fellowship  in 
these  works  of  darkness,  was  to  destroy  the  Church  of  God  (as 
is  above  in  part  rehearsed)  which  is  a  greater  piece  of  revenge 
then3  to  be  avenged  upon  one  particular  person. 

[A.]  2.  It  may  be  queried  then,  How  doth  it  appear  that 
there  was  a  going  too  far  in  this  affair. 

1.  By  the  numbers  of  the  persons  accused  which  at  length 
increased  to  about  an  hundred  and  it  cannot  be  imagined  that 
in  a  place  of  so  much  knowledge,  so  many  in  so  small  a  com- 
pass of  Land  should  so  abominably  leap  into  the  Devils  lap 
at  once. 

2.  The  quality  of  several  of  the  accused  was  such  as  did 
bespeak  better  things,  and  things  that  accompany  salvation. 
Persons  whose  blameless  and  holy  lives  before  did  testify  for 
them.     Persons  that  had  taken  great  pains  to  bring  up  their 
Children  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord :  Such  as 
we  had  Charity  for,  as  for  our  own  Souls:   and  Charity  is  a 
Christian  duty  commended  to  us.     1  Cor.  13  Chapt.,  Col.  3. 
14,  and  in  many  other  Scriptures. 

3.  The  number  of  the  afflicted  by  Satan  dayly  increased, 
till  about  Fifty  persons  were  thus  vexed  by  the  Devil.    This 
gave  just  ground  to  suspect  some  mistake,  which  gave  advan- 
tage to  the  accuser  of  the  Brethren4  to  make  a  breach  upon  us. 

4.  It  was  considerable5  that  Nineteen  were  Executed,  and 
all  denyed  the  Crime  to  the  Death,  and  some  of  them  were 

1  At  pp.  223-236,  above. 

*  Timothy  Swan,  aged  thirty,  died  early  in  February,  1692/3  (N.  E.  Hist. 
and  Gen.  Reg.,  II.  380;  Mrs.  Bailey,  Historical  Sketches  of  Andover,  p.  237). 
s  Than.  4 1.  e.,  Satan  (see  Rev.  xii.  10). 

B  Deserving  of  consideration. 


424         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1692 

knowing  persons,  and  had  before  this  been  accounted  blame- 
less livers.  And  it  is  not  to  be  imagined,  but  that  if  all  had 
been  guilty,  some  would  have  had  so  much  tenderness  as  to 
seek  Mercy  for  their  Souls  in  the  way  of  Confession  and  sorrow 
for  such  a  Sin.  And  as  for  the  condemned  confessors  at  the 
Bar  (they  being  reprieved)  we  had  no  experience  whether  they 
would  stand  to  their  Self-condemning  confessions,  when  they 
came  to  dye. 

5.  When  this  prosecution  ceased,  the  Lord  so  chained  up 
Satan,  that  the  afflicted  grew  presently  well.     The  accused  are 
generally  quiet,  and  for  five  years  since,  we  have  no  such 
molestations  by  them. 

6.  It  sways  much  with  me  that  I  have  since  heard  and  read 
of  the  like  mistakes  in  other  places.    As  in  Suffolk  in  England 
about  the  year  1645  was  such  a  prosecution,  until  they  saw 
that  unless  they  put  a  stop  it  would  bring  all  into  blood  and 
confusion.1    The  like  hath  been  in  France,  till  900  were  put 
to  Death,2  And  in  some  other  places  the  like;    So  that  N. 
England  is  not  the  only  place  circumvented  by  the  wiles  of  the 
wicked  and  wisely  Serpent  in  this  kind. 

Wierus  de  Prcestigiis  Demonum,  p.  678,3  Relates,  That  an 
Inquisitor  in  the  Subalpine  Valleys,  enquired  after  Women 
Witches,  and  consumed  above  an  hundred  in  the  Flames,  and 
daily  made  new  offerings  to  Vulcan  of  those  that  needed  Hele- 
bore  more  than  Fire,4  Until  the  Country  people  rose  and  by 
force  of  Arms  hindred  him,  and  refer  the  matter  to  the  Bishop. 
Their  Husbands,  men  of  good  Faith,  affirmed  that  in  that  very 
time  they  said  of  them,  that  they  played  and  danced  under  a 
tree,  they  were  in  bed  with  them. 

1  The  famous  witch-hunt  in  which  Matthew  Hopkins  was  the  leading  spirit 
(1645-1646). 

J  What  is  in  thought  is  doubtless  the  boast  of  Nicolas  Remy  (Remigius), 
on  the  title-page  of  his  Daemonolatreia  (1595),  that  his  book  rests  on  the  trials  of 
nine  hundred,  put  to  death  for  witchcraft  within  fifteen  years;  but  this  was  in 
Lorraine,  not  yet  a  part  of  France,  though  in  close  relations  with  it. 

1  Lib.  VI.,  cap.  20,  of  this  notable  book  by  which  the  eminent  Rhenish 
physician  Wierus  (Johann  Weyer,  1515-1588)  gave  to  the  zeal  of  the  witch-haters 
its  first  effective  check.  This  passage,  however,  he  borrows  bodily  from  the 
Parergon  Juris  (VIII.  22)  of  an  earlier  opponent  of  witch  persecution,  the  Italian 
jurist  Andrea  Alciati. 

4  I.  e.,  those  crazed  more  than  criminal:  hellebore  was  counted  a  cure  for 
insanity. 


1697]  HALE,  A  MODEST  INQUIRY  425 

R.  Burton  of  Witches,  etc.  p.  158,1  Saith,  That  in  Chelms- 
ford  in  Essex,  Anno  1645,  were  Thirty  tryed  at  once  before 
Judge  Coniers,  and  Fourteen  of  them  hanged,  and  an  hundred 
more  contained  in  several  Prisons  in  Suffolk  and  Essex. 

If  there  were  an  Error  in  the  proceedings  in  other  places, 
and  in  N.  England,  it  must  be  in  the  principles  proceeded  upon 
in  prosecuting  the  suspected,  or  in  the  misapplication  of  the 
principles  made  use  of.  Now  as  to  the  case  at  Salem,  I  con- 
ceive it  proceeded  from  some  mistaken  principles  made  use 
of;  for  the  evincing  whereof,  I  shall  instance  some  principles 
made  use  of  here,  and  in  other  Countrys  also,  which  I  find 
defended  by  learned  Authors  writing  upon  that  Subject.2 


Chapter  XVIII. 

I  shall  conclude  this  Discourse  with  some  Application  of 
the  whole. 

1.  We  may  hence  see  ground  to  fear,  that  there  hath  been 
a  great  deal  of  innocent  blood  shed  in  the  Christian  World, 
by  proceeding  upon  unsafe  principles,  in  condemning  persons 
for  Malefick  Witchcraft.3 

2.  That  there  have  been  great  sinful  neglects  in  sparing 
others,  who  by  their  divinings  about  things  future,  or  discover- 
ing things  secret,  as  stollen  Goods,  etc.,  or  by  their  informing 
of  persons  and  things  absent  at  a  great  distance,  have  implored 
the  assistance  of  a  familiar  spirit,  yet  coloured  over  with 
specious  pretences,  and  have  drawn  people  to  enquire  of  them : 
A  sin  frequently  forbidden  in  Scripture,  as  Lev.  19.  31  and 
20.  6,  Isa.  8.  19,  20.  and  yet  let  alone,  and  in  many  parts  of 

1  See  p.  416,  note  5.     "Burton"  has  merely  inserted  into  his  Kingdom  of 
Darkness  (pp.  148-159)  the  contents  of  the  contemporary  True  and  Exact  Re- 
lation (1645)  which  narrates  this  Essex  persecution. 

2  The  following  chapters  (V.-XVII.)  are  devoted  to  the  nature  of  witch- 
craft and  the  proper  means  for  its  detection. 

3  "Black  Witches,  or  Malefick  Witches,"  explains  Hale  a  little  earlier,  are 
those  "who  by  their  enchantments  do  call  in  the  Devils  aid,  for  revenge,  to  do 
hurt  to  the  bodies  and  health  of  their  neighbours,  or  to  their  cattle,  goods,  and  the 
like.     These  are  the  persons  commonly  called  Witches,  and  against  whom  the 
spirits  of  men  and  the  laws  of  men  are  most  bent,  for  their  prosecution  and 
punishment." 


426         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1697 

the  World,  have  been  countenanced  in  their  diabolical  skill  and 
profession;  because  they  serve  the  interest  of  those  that  have 
a  vain  curiosity,  to  pry  into  things  God  hath  forbidden,  and 
concealed  from  discovery  by  lawful  means.  And  of  others 
that  by  their  inchantments,  have  raised  mists,  strange  sights, 
and  the  like,  to  beget  admiration,  and  please  Spectators,  etc., 
When  as1  these  divinations  and  operations  are  the  Witchcraft 
more  condemned  in  Scripture  than  the  other. 

3.  But  to  come  nigher  home,  we  have  cause  to  be  humbled 
for  the  mistakes  and  errors  which  have  been  in  these  Colonies, 
in  their  Proceedings  against  persons  for  this  crime,  above 
fourty  years  ago  and  downwards,  upon  insufficient  presump- 
tions and  presidents2  of  our  Nation,  whence  they  came.    I  do 
not  say,  that  all  those  were  innocent,  that  suffered  in  those 
times  upon  this  account.     But  that  such  grounds  were  then 
laid  down  to  proceed  upon,  which  were  too  slender  to  evidence 
the  crime  they  were  brought  to  prove;  and  thereby  a  founda- 
tion laid  to  lead  into  error  those  that  came  after.    Ma)-  we 
not  say  in  this  matter,  as  it  is,  Psal.  106.  6.     We  have  sinned 
with  our  fathers?    And  as,  Lam.  5.  7.     Our  fathers  have  sinned 
and  are  not,  and  we  have  born  their  iniquities?    And  whether 
this  be  not  one  of  the  sins  the  Lord  hath  been  many  years 
contending  with  us  for,  is  worthy  our  serious  enquiry.     If  the 
Lord  punished  Israel  with  famine  three  years  for  a  sin  of  mis- 
guided zeal  fourty  years  before  that,  committed  by  the  breach 
of  a  Covenant  made  four  hundred  years  before  that:   2  Sam. 
21.  1,  2,    Why  may  not  the  Lord  visit  upon  us  the  misguided 
zeal  of  our  Predecessors  about  Witchcraft  above  fourty  years 
ago,  even  when  that  Generation  is  gathered  to  their  Fathers. 

4.  But  I  would  come  yet  nearer  to  our  own  times,  and  be- 
wail the  errors  and  mistakes  that  have  been  in  the  year  1692. 
In  the  apprehending  too  many  we  may  believe  were  innocent, 
and  executing  of  some,  I  fear,  not  to  have  been  condemned; 
by  following  such  traditions  of  our  fathers,  maxims  of  the 
Common  Law,  and  Presidents2  and  Principles,  which  now  we 
may  see  weighed  in  the  balance  of  the  Sanctuary,  are  found 
too  light.     I  heartily  concur  with  that  direction  for  our  pub- 
lick  prayers,  emitted  December  17,   1696,  by  our  General 
Assembly,  in  an  order  for  a  general  Fast,  viz.    "  That  God 

1  7.  e.,  "whenas" :  whereas.  *  Precedents. 


1697]  HALE,   A  MODEST  INQUIRY  427 

would  shew  us  what  we  know  not,  and  help  us  wherein  we  have 
done  amiss,  to  do  so  no  more:  And  especially  that  whatever 
mistakes  on  either  hand,  have  been  fallen  into,  either  by  the 
body  of  this  people,  or  any  order  of  men,  referring  to  the  late 
tragedy  raised  among  us  by  Satan  and  his  Instruments,  through 
the  awful  Judgment  of  God:  He  would  humble  us  therefore, 
and  pardon  all  the  errors  of  his  Servants  and  People,  that 
desire  to  love  his  Name,  and  be  attoned  to  his  land."  I  am 
abundantly  satisfyed  that  those  who  were  most  concerned  to 
act  and  judge  in  those  matters,  did  not  willingly  depart  from 
the  rules  of  righteousness.  But  such  was  the  darkness  of  that 
day,  the  tortures  and  lamentations  of  the  afflicted,  and  the 
power  of  former  presidents,  that  we  walked  in  the  clouds, 
and  could  not  see  our  way.  And  we  have  most  cause  to  be 
humbled  for  error  on  that  hand,  which  cannot  be  retrieved. 
So  that  we  must  beseech  the  Lord,  that  if  any  innocent  blood 
hath  been  shed,  in  the  hour  of  temptation,  the  Lord  will  not 
lay  it  to  our  charge,  but  be  merciful  to  his  people  whom  he 
hath  redeemed,  Deut.  21.  8,  And  that  in  the  day  when  he 
shall  visit,  he  will  not  visit  this  sin  upon  our  land,  but  blot  it 
out,  and  wash  it  away  with  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ. 

5.  I  would  humbly  propose  whether  it  be  not  expedient, 
that  some  what  more  should  be  publickly  done  then1  yet 
hath,  for  clearing  the  good  name  and  reputation  of  some  that 
have  suffered  upon  this  account,  against  whom  the  evidence 
of  their  guilt  was  more  slender,  and  the  grounds  for  charity 
for  them  more  convincing.  And  this  (in  order  to  our  obtain- 
ing from  the  Lord  farther  reconciliation  to  our  land,)  and  that 
none  of  their  surviving  relations,  may  suffer  reproach  upon 
that  account.  I  have  both  read  and  heard  of  several  in  En- 
gland, that  have  been  executed  for  Capital  crimes,  and  after- 
wards upon  sence  of  an  error  in  the  process  against  them, 
have  been  restored  in  blood  and  honour  by  some  publick  act. 
My  Lord  Cook2  relates  a  story.  A  man  going  to  correct  a 
Girle  his  Neice,  for  some  offence,  in  an  upper  room,  the  Girle 
strove  to  save  her  self,  till  her  nose  bled,  and  wiping  it  with  a 
cloath,  threw  the  bloody  cloath  out  at  the  window,  and  cryed 
Murder;  and  then  ran  down  staires,  got  away  and  hid  her  self. 
Her  Uncle  was  prosecuted  by  her  friends  upon  suspicion  of 

1  Than.  J  Sir  Edward  Coke, 


428         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1697 

Murdering  her,  because  she  could  not  be  found.  He  declared 
that  she  made  her  escape,  as  above  said.  Then  time  was  al- 
lowed him  to  bring  her  forth,  but  he  could  not  hear  of  her 
within  the  time,  and  fearing  he  should  dy  if  she  could  not  be 
found,  procures  another  Girle  very  like  her,  to  appear  in  Court, 
and  declare  she  was  his  Neice  that  had  been  missing :  But  her 
relations  examine  this  counterfeit,  until  they  find  her  out,  and 
she  confesseth  she  was  suborned  and  counterfeited  the  true 
Neice.  Upon  these  presumptions  the  man  was  found  guilty 
of  Murdering  his  Neice,  and  thereupon  executed.  And  after 
his  execution  his  true  Neice  comes  abroad  and  shews  her  self 
alive  and  well.  Then  all  that  saw  it  were  convinced  of  the 
Uncles  innocency,  and  vanity  of  such  presumptions.  The 
Printing  and  Publishing  of  this  relation  Vindicates  the  good 
name  of  the  Uncle,  from  the  imputation  of  the  crime  of  Murder. 
And  this  is  one  end  of  this  present  discourse,  to  take  off  (so 
far  as  a  discourse  of  this  nature  can)  infamy  from  the  names 
and  memory  of  such  sufferers  in  this  kind,  as  do  not  deserve 
the  same. 

6.  Here  it  may  be  suitable  for  us  to  enquire,  What  the 
Lord  speaks  to  us  by  such  a  stupendeous  providence,  in  his 
letting  loose  Satan  upon  us  in  this  unusual  way?  Arts.  1.  We 
may  say  of  this,  as  our  Saviour  said  of  his  washing  his  disciples 
feet,  Joh.  13.  What  I  do  thou  knowest  not  now,  but  thou  shall 
know  hereafter.  The  Judgments  of  the  Lord  are  a  great  deep, 
Psal.  36.  6.  How  unsearchable  are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways 
past  finding  out.  2.  Yet  somewhat  of  his  counsel  at  present 
for  our  instruction  may  be  known,  by  comparing  the  Word 
and  works  of  God  together. 

1.  As  when  Joshua  the  high  Priest  though  an  holy  chosen 
man  of  God,  stood  before  the  Angel,  Satan  stood  at  his  right 
hand  to  resist  him,  or  to  be  his  adversary :  And  the  advantage 
Satan  had  was  by  the  filthy  garments  Joshua  was  clothed 
with  before  the  Angels :  That  is,  some  iniquity  which  yet  was 
not  passed  away,  Zech.  3.  1,  3,  4.  So  we  may  say  here  were 
among  Gods  own  Children  filthy  garments.  The  sins  of  Luke- 
warmness,  loss  of  our  first  love,  unprofitableness  under  the 
Gospel,  slumbering  and  sleeping  in  the  wise,  as  well  as  foolish 
Virgins,  worldliness,  pride,  carnal  security,  and  many  other 
sins.  By  these  and  such  like  sins  the  accuser  of  the  Breth- 


1G97]  HALE,  A  MODEST  INQUIRY  429 

ren  got  advantage  to  stand  at  our  right  hand  (the  place  of 
an  Accuser  in  Courts  of  Justice)  and  there  accuse  us  and 
resist  us. 

2.  When  the  Egyptians  refused  to  let  Israel  go  to  sacrifice 
and  keep  a  feast  to  the  Lord  in  the  Wilderness :  The  Lord  cast 
upon  [them]  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath,  by  sending  Evil  Angels 
among  them,  Psal.  78. 49.    Egypts  sins  were  (1 .)  Coveteousness ; 
they  would  not  let  Israel  go,  because  they  gained  by  their 
labours.     (2.)  Contempt  of  God  and  his  Instituted  Worship, 
and  Ordinances.     They  did  not  count  them  of  such  concern- 
ment, that  Israel  should  go  into  the  Wilderness  to  observe  them. 
Both  these  sins  have  too  much  increased  in  our  Land.     (1.) 
Coveteousness,  an  inordinate  love  of  the  World  gave  Satan 
advantage  upon  us.     (2.)  Contempt  of  Gods  Worship  and  In- 
stituted Ordinances.     The  Errand  of  our  Fathers  into  this 
Wilderness,  was  to  Sacrifice  to  the  Lord;  that  is,  to  worship 
God  in  purity  of  heart  and  life,  and  to  wait  upon  the  Lord, 
walking  in  the  faith  and  order  of  the  Gospel  in  Church  fellow- 
ship; that  they  might  enjoy  Christ  in  all  his  Ordinances.     But 
these  things  have  been  greatly  neglected  and  despised  by  many 
born,  or  bred  up  in  the  Land.     We  have  much  forgotten  what 
our  Fathers  came  into  the  Wilderness  to  see.     The  sealing 
Ordinances  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace  in  Church-Communion 
have  been  much  slighted  and  neglected;  and  the  fury  of  this 
Storm  raised  by  Satan  hath  fallen  very  heavily  upon  many 
that  lived  under  these  neglects.    The  Lord  sends  Evil  Angels 
to  awaken  and  punish  our  negligence :  And  to  my  knowledge 
some  have  been  hereby  excited  to  enter  into  the  Chamber  of 
Gods  Ordinances,  to  hide  themselves,  until  the  indignation  be 
over  past. 

3.  David  when  he  removed  the  Ark  from  Kirjathjearim, 
had  the  Ark  put  into  a  new  Cart,  which  should  have  been  car- 
ried by  the  Kohathites.     Numb.  3.  31.    And  David  thought 
this  was  right,  until  the  Lord  slew  Uzza  for  touching  the  Ark : 
But  then  he  looked  more  exactly  into  the  will  of  God;  and 
confesseth  that  the  Lord  made  a  breach  upon  them,  because 
they  sought  him  not  after  the  due  order,  1  Chron.  13.  5,  7,  9, 
10,  and  15.  11,  12,  13.    Had  not  the  Lord  made  that  breach 
upon  them,  they  had  persisted  securely  in  their  error.    So  I 
may  say  in  this  case.    In  the  prosecution  of  Witchcraft,  we 


430         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1697 

sought  not  the  Lord  after  the  due  order;  but  have  proceeded 
after  the  methods  used  in  former  times  and  other  places,  until 
the  Lord  in  this  tremendous  way  made  a  breach  upon  us. 
And  hereby  we  are  made  sensible  that  the  methods  formerly 
used  are  not  sufficient  to  prove  the  guilt  of  such  a  crime.  And 
this  I  conceive  was  one  end  of  the  Lords  letting  Satan  loose  to 
torment  and  accuse  so  many;  that  hereby  we  may  search  out 
the  truth  more  exactly.  For  had  it  not  been  for  this  dreadful 
dispensation,  many  would  have  lived  and  dyed  in  that  error, 
which  they  are  now  convinced  of. 

4.  The  Lord  delivered  into  the  hand  of  Satan  the  Estate, 
Children,  and  Body  of  Job,  for  the  tryal  of  Jobs  faith  and 
patience,  and  proof  of  his  perfection  and  uprightness.  So  the 
Lord  hath  delivered  into  Satans  hand  mens  Children  and 
Bodies,  yea  names  and  estates  into  Satans  hand  for  the  tryal 
of  their  faith  and  patience,  and  farther  manifestation  of  the 
sincerity  of  their  professions. 

7.1  From  that  part  of  the  discourse  which  shews  the  power 
of  Satan  to  torment  the  bodies,  and  disturb  the  minds  of  those, 
he  is  let  loose  upon,  Chap.  6,  I  would  infer,  that  Satan  may 
be  suffered  so  to  darken  the  minds  of  some  pious  Souls,  as  to 
cause  them  to  destroy  themselves  by  drowning,  hanging,  or 
the  like.  And  when  he  hath  so  far  prevailed  upon  some,  that 
formerly  lived  a  Christian  life,  but  were  under  the  prevalency 
of  a  distracting  Melancholy  at  their  latter  end,  We  may  have 
Charity  that  their  Souls  are  Saved,  notwithstanding  the  sad 
conclusion  of  their  lives.  I  speak  not  to  excuse  any  that 
having  the  free  use  of  their  reason  willingly  destroy  themselves, 
out  of  pride,  discontent,  impatience,  etc.  Achitophel  who  out 
of  height  of  Spirit  because  his  Counsel  was  not  followed,  and  to 
prevent  Davids  executing  of  him,  for  his  rebellion  and  treason, 
destroyed  himself,  hath  left  his  name  to  stink  unto  all  genera- 
tions.2 And  Judas  who  for  his  unparalelled  treachery  in  be- 
traying his  Master,  and  the  Lord  of  life,  was  justly  left  to 
hange  himself ;  and  the  rope  breaking  or  slipping  he  fell  down 
head  long,  or  with  his  face  down  ward,  so  that  he  burst  asunder 
in  the  midst,  and  all  his  bowels  gushed  out,  Math.  27.  5.  with 
Act.  1.  13,  left  by  his  sin  and  punishment  in  the  last  act  of 

1  Such  is  the  numbering  of  the  original. 

*The  story  of  Ahithophel  is  to  be  found  in  II  Samuel  xv.-rvii. 


1697]  HALE,  A  MODEST  INQUIRY  431 

his  life  the  black  character  of  a  Son  of  perdition.    But  those 
that  being  out  of  their  right  minds,  and  hurried  by  an  evil 
Spirit,  as  persons  under  a  force  to  be  their  own  executioners,  J 
are  not  always  to  be  ranked  with  these. 

8.  Seeing  we  have  been  too  fierce  against  supposed  Male-* 
fick  Witchcraft,  let  us  take  heed  we  do  not  on  the  contrary 
become  too  favourable  to  divining  Witchcraft:  And  become 
like  Saul  who  was  too  zealous  against  the  Gibeonites,  and  at 
last  turned  to  seek  after  one  that  had  a  familiar  Spirit,  to  his 
own  destruction.    Let  us  not,  if  we  can  help  it,  suffer  Satan 
to  set  up  an  ensuring  office  for  stolen  Goods.    That  after  he 
hath  brought  the  curse  of  God  into  the  house  of  the  thief,  by 
tempting  him  to  steal,  he  may  not  bring  about  the  curse  into 
the  houses  of  them  from  whom  the  goods  were  stolen,  by  allur- 
ing them  to  go  to  the  god  of  Ekron  to  enquire.    That  men  may 
not  give  their  Souls  to  the  Devil  in  exchange,  for  his  restoring 
to  them  their  goods  again,  in  such  a  way  of  divination.    The 
Lord  grant  it  may  be  said  of  New  England,  as  is  prophecyed 
of  Judah,  Mic.  5.12.    /  will  cut  off  Witchcrafts  out  of  thine  hand, 
and  thou  shalt  have  no  more  soothsayers. 

9.  Another  extream  we  must  beware  of,  is,  viz.    Because 
our  fathers  in  the  beginning  times  of  this  Land,  did  not  see  so 
far  into  these  mysteries  of  iniquity,  as  hath  been  since  discov- 
ered, Let  us  not  undervalue  the  good  foundations  they  laid 
for  God  and  his  people,  and  for  us  in  Church  and  Civil  Govern- 
ment.   For  Paul  that  eminent  Apostle  knew  but  in  part;  no 
wonder  then,  if  our  Fathers  were  imperfect  men.    In  the 
purest  times  in  Israel,  there  were  some  Clouds^of  ignorance 
over-shadowing  of  them.    Abraham,   David,  and  the  best 
Patriarchs  were  generally  ignorant  of  the  sin  of  Polygamy. 
And  although  Solomon  far  exceeded  Nehemiah  in  wisdom;  yet 
Nehemiah  saw  farther  into  the  evil  of  Marrying  Outlandish 
Women,  than  that  wisest  of  Kings,  and  meer  fallen  men. 
Neh.  13.  26.    Josiah  kept  the  Passeover  more  exactly,  than 
David,  and  all  the  Reforming  Kings  of  Judah,  2  Chron.  35.  18. 

All  the  godly  Judges  and  Kings  of  Judah  were  unacquainted 
with,  and  so  negligent  of  the  right  observation  of  the  feast  of 
Tabernacles,  until  it  came  to  Nehemiahs  time :  And  he  under- 
stood and  revived  an  ordinance  of  God,  that  lay  buried  in 
oblivion,  near  about  a  thousand  years.  Now  he  that  shall 


432         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1697 

reject  all  the  good  in  doctrine  and  practice,  which  was  main- 
tained, professed  and  practiced  by  so  many  Godly  leaders,  be- 
cause of  some  few  errors  found  among  them,  will  be  found  to 
fight  against  God.  A  dwarf  upon  a  giants  shoulders,  can  see 
farther  than  the  giant. 

It  was  a  glorious  enterprize  of  the  beginners  of  these  Col- 
onies, to  leave  their  native  Country  to  propagate  the  Gospel : 
And  a  very  high  pitch  of  faith,  zeal,  and  courage  that  carryed 
them  forth,  to  follow  the  Lord  into  this  wilderness,  into  a  land 
that  was  not  sown.  Then  was  New  England  holiness  to  the 
Lord,  and  all  that  did  devour  them,  or  attempted  so  to  do,  did 
offend,  and  evil  did  come  upon  them.  And  the  Lord  did 
graciously  remember  this  kinchiess  of  their  Youth,  and  love  of 
their  Espousals;  In  granting  them  many  eminent  tokens  of 
his  favour;  by  his  presence  with  them  in  his  Ordinances,  for 
the  Conversion  of  Souls,  and  edifying  and  comforting  the  hearts 
of  his  Servants :  By  signal  answering  their  prayers  in  times  of 
difficulty:  By  protecting  them  from  their  Enemies;  By  guid- 
ing of,  and  providing  for  them  in  a  Desart.  And  the  Lord  will 
still  remember  this  their  kindness  unto  their  Posterity,  unless 
that  by  their  Apostasy  from  the  Lord,  they  vex  his  Holy  Spirit, 
to  turn  to  be  their  Enemy :  And  thereby  cut  off  the  Entail  of 
his  Covenant  Mercies;  which  God  forbid.  Oh  that  the  Lord 
may  be  with  us,  as  he  was  with  our  Fathers;  and  that  he  may  not 
leave  us,  nor  forsake  us! 

Finis. 


INTRODUCTION 

To  those  who  know  what  elements  made  up  the  earliest 
population  of  Virginia  it  is  needless  to  point  out  why  there  we 
find  no  such  abiding  fear  of  the  Devil  and  his  minions  as  among 
the  religious  exiles  of  New  England.  There  no  Mosaic  law 
was  enacted  into  statute;  and  the  well-known  Cavalier  sym- 
pathies of  the  colony  suggest  why  the  mid-century  witch- 
panic  of  England's  Presbyterian  counties  found  there  no  echo. 
Fear  of  witches,  indeed,  Virginia  did  not  wholly  escape;  biri 
her  witch-terrors  found  their  source  in  folk-lore  more  than  jn 
theology,  and,  though  her  courts  could  not  keep  altogether 
clear  of  the  matter,  their  influence  seems  to  have  been  almost 
wholly  a  restraining  one.  The  testimony  of  their  records  has, 
in  part  at  least,  been  diligently  ferreted  out,1  and  the  historian 
of  the  social  and  economic  life  of  the  colony  has  summarized 
it  in  a  lucid  chapter2  which  is  the  best  introduction  to  the  single 
episode  here  to  be  narrated.  By  the  middle  of  the  century  the 
bandying  of  the  abusive  name  of  "witch"  was  calling  forth 
actions  for  slander  and  vigorous  rulings  by  the  courts;  and  in 
1656  a  clergyman  from  Scotland  brought  against  one  William 
Harding  the  only  legal  process  which  is  known  to  have  ended 
in  conviction  and  a  penalty — ten  stripes  and  banishment  from 
the  county.  Suits  enough  from  that  time  on  there  were;  but 
they  were  brought  by  the  accused  for  damages,  or  failed  to 
convince  the  jury.  Especially  that  southeastern  region  known 

1  Notably  by  Mr.  Edward  W.  James,  who  published  his  gleanings  first  in 
the  William  and  Mary  College  Historical  Quarterly  (I.-IV.— 1892-1896),  then  in 
the  Lower  Norfolk  County  Virginia  Antiquary  (I.-III.). 

2  Philip  Alexander  Bruoe,  Institutional  History  of  Virginia  in  the  Seventeenth 
Century,  I.  276-289. 

435 


436         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES 

as  "Lower  Norfolk  County,"  and,  above  all,  its  eastern  strip, 
along  the  Atlantic,  which  in  1691  became  Princess  Anne 
County,  seems  to  have  been  disturbed  by  these  suspicions. 
There  in  1675  and  1679  juries  of  women  had  been  impanelled 
to  search  Jane  Jenkins  and  Alice  Cartwright,  "  according  to  the 
118th  chapter  of  Dalton,"  for  the  Devil's  marks;1  and  there 
in  1698  Anne  Byrd  appealed  in  vain  to  a  court  against  wild 
charges  of  "riding"  her  neighbors  as  a  witch.  In  that  same 
year  Grace  Sherwood,  wife  of  James  Sherwood,  planter,  a 
woman  in  middle  life  whose  father,  John  White,  had  long 
dwelt  there  as  carpenter  and  planter,  was  accused  by  one 
John  Gisburne  of  bewitching  his  hogs  and  cotton.  She  with 
her  husband  brought  an  action  for  slander,  but  lost  it,  and  was 
unsuccessful  against  Anthony  Barnes,  who  charged  her  with 
ing  his  wife  and  then  escaping  through  the  keyhole  in  the 
suape  of  a  black  cat.  It  was  this  Grace  Sherwood  against 
whom  in  1706  was  brought  that  culminating  action  for  witch- 
craft to  which  belong  the  following  papers.  Her  story  has 
been  often  told — and  often  with  a  generous  use  of  the  imagina- 
tion. More  than  once  the  records  have  been  printed,  as  by 
President  Gushing  of  Hampden-Sidney  in  the  Collections  (I. 
67-68)  of  the  Virginia  Historical  and  Philosophical  Society 
and  by  Henry  Howe  in  his  Historical  Collections  of  Virginia 
(Charleston,  1845),  pp.  436-438;  but  most  fully  and  carefully 
by  Edward  W.  James,  whose  pages  in  the  William  and  Mary 
College  Quarterly  (III.  190-192,  242-245;  IV.  18-20)  have  fur- 
nished our  text.  It  has,  however,  been  collated  afresh  with 
the  record  at  Princess  Anne  by  the  editor  of  the  present  vol- 
ume— and  not  without  correction.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the 

1What  is  meant  is  of  course  that  paragraph  of  Michael  Dalton's  many- 
editioned  handbook  of  procedure,  The  Countrey  Justice,  which,  prescribing  tests 
for  the  detection  of  witches,  avers  that  the  witch's  imp,  or  familiar,  "hath  some 
big  or  little  teat  upon  their  body,  and  in  some  secret  place,  where  he  sucketh 
them."  "And  besides  their  sucking,  the  Devil  leaveth  other  marks  upon  their 
body,"  which  "being  pricked  will  not  bleed,  and  be  often  in  their  secretest  parts, 
and  therefore  require  diligent  and  careful  search." 


INTRODUCTION  437 

court  clerk  uses  a  sort  of  short-hand,  abbreviating  sometimes 
by  a  lavish  use  of  "superiors"  (as  "somd"  for  "summoned," 
"Ex1*"  for  "Excellency"),  sometimes  by  mere  omission  of 
letters.  The  peculiarities  of  the  text  are  such  that  in  this 
instance  we  have  preserved  forms  which  it  is  now  more  usual 
to  expand  into  shapes  more  easily  legible;  but  the  obscurer 
signs  (as  "y"  for  "th,"  or  "ff"  for  "F,"  or  the  stroke  above 
a  final  "con"  to  make  it  "cion")  have  not  been  reproduced.1 

1  Though  the  old  record  book  through  which  these  entries  are  scattered  is 
still  in  good  condition,  the  passages  relating  to  this  interesting  case  are  begin- 
ning to  suffer  from  wear,  and  from  the  first  four  lines  of  the  entry  for  July  5, 
which  come  at  the  bottom  of  a  page,  a  few  words  have  crumbled  away,  and 
are  preserved  only  by  the  transcripts.  In  the  margin  of  the  entry  for  May  2 
are  the  words  "Ag*  Grace  Sherwood  for  witchcraft,"  and  in  that  of  the  entry 
for  June  6  the  words  "  Bousch  Attr  for  Queen  vs.  Sherwood  " 


THE  CASE  OF  GRACE  SHERWOOD 

Princess  Ann  ss.    At  a  Court  held  the  3d  of  Jaw*  170f . 

Whereas  Luke  Hill  and  uxor1  Somd  Grace  Sherwood  to 
this  Court2  in  Suspetion  of  witchcraft  and  she  fayling  to 
apear  it  is  therefore  ordr  that  attachm*  to  the  Sherr3  do  Issue 
to  Attach  her  body  to  ansr  the  sd  Som  next  Court. 

[Under  February  6,  1705/6.] 

Suite  for  Suspition  of  witchcraft  brought  by  Luke  Hill 
ag*  Grace  Sherwood  is  ordr  to  be  referr  till  to  rnorr0. 

[Under  February  7,  1705/6.] 

Whereas  a  Compl*  was  brought  ag*  Grace  Sherrwood  on 
Suspition  of  witchcraft  by  Luke  Hill,  etc. :  and  the  matter 
being  after  a  long  time  debated  and  ordr  that  the  sd  Hill  pay 
all  fees  of  this  Compl*  and  that  the  sd  Grace  be  here  next 
Court  to  be  Searched  according  to  the  Compl*  by  a  Jury  of 
women  to  decide  the  sd  Diff err :  and  the  Sherr  is  Likewise  ordr 
to  Som  an  able  Jury  accordingly. 

[Under  March  7,  1705/6.] 

Present:  Col°  Edward  Moseley,  Lieu*  [Col°]  Adam  Thor- 
rowgood,  Majr  Henry  Sprat,  Captn  Horatio  Woodhouse,  Mr 
Jn°  Cornick,  Captn  Henry  Chapman,  Mr  Wm  Smith,  Mr  Jn° 
Richason,  Captn  Geo :  Handcock,  Justices. 

1  Luke  Hill  and  wife.  Against  them  in  December,  1705,  Grace  Sherwood 
had  brought  action  for  assault  and  battery,  claiming  £50  of  damages  and  receiving 
twenty  shillings.  What  this  affray  may  have  had  to  do  with  the  charge  of  witch- 
craft does  not  appear. 

*The  court  was  the  county  court,  its  members  a  group  of  "gentlemen  of 
the  county,  called  justices  of  the  peace."  Their  names  appear  just  below,  in  the 
entry  for  March  7.  Such  a  panel  of  the  court  heads  the  record  of  each  of  the 
sessions  named,  but  its  repetition  has  seemed  unnecessary.  Grace  Sherwood's 
case  was  only  one  of  many  dealt  with  at  each  session.  Usually  only  four  or  five 
justices  were  present.  *  Sheriff. 


1706]  CASE  OF  GRACE  SHERWOOD  439 

Whereas  a  Complaint  have  been  [made]  to  this  Court  by 
Luke  Hill  and  his  wife  that  one  grace  Sherrwood  of  this  County 
was  and  Have  been  a  Long  time  Suspected  of  witchcraft  and 
have  been  as  Such  Represented  wherefore  the  Sherr  at  the  last 
Court  was  ordd  to  Som  a  Jury  of  women  to  this  Court  to  Serch 
her  on  the  sd  Suspicion,  She  assenting  to  the  Same.  And  after 
the  Jury  was  impannelld  and  Sworn  and  Sent  out  to  make 
Due  inquirery  and  Inspection  into  all  Cercumstances,  After  a 
Mature  Consideracion  They  bring  in  this  verditt :  wee  of  the 
Jury  have  Serch"  Grace  Sherwood  and  have  found  Two  things 
like  titts  wth  Severall  other  Spotts :  Elizh  Barnes,  forewoman, 
Sarah  Norris,  Margrtt  Watkins,  Hannah  Dinnis,  Sarah  Good- 
acre,  Mary  Burgess,  Sarah  Sergeant,  winifred  Davis,  Ursula 
Henly,  Ann  Bridg8,  Ezable  waples,  Mary  Cotle.1 

[Under  May  2,  1706.] 

Whereas  a  former  Compl*  was  brought  ag*  Grace  Sherwood 
for  Suspicion  of  Witchcraft,  wch  by  the  Atturny  Genr11  Report 
to  his  Excly  in  Councill  was  to2  Generall  and  not  Charging  her 
with  any  perticular  Act,  therefore  represented  to  them  that 
Princess  Ann  Court  might  if  they  thought  fitt  have  her  ex- 

1  At  this  point  the  court  reached  the  limit  of  its  powers,  and  Luke  Hill, 
doubtless  at  its  instance,  petitioned  the  highest  tribunal  of  the  colony,  the  General 
Court,  i.  e.,  the  Governor  and  Council,  informing  them  that  "one  Grace  Sher- 
wood of  Princess  Anne  County  being  suspected  of  witchcraft  upon  his  complaint 
to  that  county  court  that  she  had  bewitched  the  petitioner's  wife,  the  court 
ordered  a  jury  of  women  to  search  the  said  Grace  Sherwood  who  upon  search 
brought  in  a  verdict  against  the  said  Grace,  but  the  court  not  knowing  how  to 
proceed  to  judgment  thereon,  the  petitioner  prays  that  the  Attorney  Generall 
may  be  directed  to  prosecute  the  said  Grace  for  the  same."  But  the  attorney 
general,  to  whom  on  March  28  the  matter  was  referred,  reported  on  April  16 
that  he  found  the  charge  too  general  and  that  the  county  court  ought  to  have 
made  a  fuller  examination  of  the  matters  of  fact,  and  that  "pursuant  to  the 
directions  and  powers  to  County  Courts  given  by  a  late  act  of  Assembly"  they 
ought,  if  they  thought  there  was  sufficient  cause,  to  have  committed  the  accused 
to  the  general  prison  of  the  colony,  "whereby  it  would  have  come  regularly  before 
the  Generall  Court."  Wherefore  he  suggested  "that  the  said  County  Court  do 
make  a  further  Enquiry  into  the  matter,"  and,  if  they  find  cause  for  action,  to 
follow  the  said  law;  and  it  was  ordered  that  a  copy  of  his  report  "be  sent  to  the 
court  of  Princess  Anne  County  for  their  direction  in  the  premises."  (Cf.  Palmer's 
Calendar  of  Virginia,  State  Papers,  I.  100 :  at  some  points  this  corrects  Mr.  James's 
readings,  at  others  needs  correction  by  them.) 
'Too. 


440         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1706 

amined  De  Novo,  and  the  Court  Being  of  Oppinion  that  there 
is  great  Cause  of  Suspicion  Doe  therefore  ordr  that  the  Sherr 
take  the  Said  Grace  into  his  Safe  Costody  untill  She  Shall  give 
bond  and  Security  for  her  Appearance  to  the  next  Court  to 
be  examined  Denovo  and  that  the  Constable  of  that  precinkt 
go  with  the  Sherr  and  Serch  the  Sd  graces  House  and  all  Sus- 
picious places  Carfully  for  all  Images1  and  Such  like  things 
as  may  any  way  Strengthen  The  Suspicion,  and  it  is  likewise 
Ordered  that  the  Sherr  Som  an  Able  Jury  of  Women,  also  all 
Evidences  as  Cann  give  in  anything  ag*  her  in  Evidence,  in 
behalf  of  our  Soveraign  Lady  the  Queen,  To  Attend  the  next 
Court  Accordingly. 

[Under  June  6,  1706.] 

Whereas  Grace  Sherwood  of  this  County  have  been  Com- 
plained of  as  a  person  Suspected  of  Witchcraft,  and  now  being 
Brought  before  this  Court  in  ordr  for  examinacion,  this  Court 
have  therefore  requested  mr  Maxm11  Boush  to  present  In- 
formacion  ag*  her  as  Councill  in  behalf  of  our  Soveraign  Lady 
the  Queen  in  order  to  her  being  brought  to  a  regular  Try  all. 

Whereas  an  Informacion  in  Behalf  of  her  Magty  was  pre- 
sented by  Luk  Hill,  to  the  Court  in  pursuance  To  Mr  Genr11 
Attrys  Tomson  report  on  his  Excellcy  ord  in  Councill  the  16th 
Aprill  Last  About  Grace  Sherwood  being  Suspected  of  Witch- 
craft, have  thereupon  Sworn  Severall  Evidences  ag*  her  by 
w4*  it  Doth  very  likely  appear. 

[Under  June  7,  1706.] 

Whereas  at  the  Last  Court  an  ordr  was  past  that  the  Sherr 
should  Sommons  an  able  Jury  of  Women  to  Serch  Grace  Sher- 
wood on  Suspicion  of  witchcraft,  wch  although  the  Same  was 
performed  by  the  Sherr  yet  they  refused  And  did  not  appear, 
it  is  therefore  ordr  that  the  Same  persons  be  againe  Somd  by  the 

1  Such  "images,"  of  course,  as  witches  were  believed  to  make  of  those  they 
wished  to  afflict  (see  above,  pp.  104,  163,  219,  228).  "They  have  often,"  says 
Dalton,  whose  book  these  justices  doubtless  had  open  before  them,  "Pictures 
of  Clay  or  Wax  (like  a  Man,  etc.,  made  of  such  as  they  would  bewitch)  found  in 
their  House,  or  which  they  roast,  or  bury  in  the  Earth,  that  as  the  Picture  con- 
sumes, so  may  the  parties  bewitched  consume." 


1706]  CASE  OF  GRACE  SHERWOOD  441 

Sherr  for  their  Contempt  To  be  Dealt  wth  according  to  the 
uttmost  Severity  of  the  Law,  and  that  a  new  Jury  of  Women 
be  by  him  Somd  To  appear  next  Court  to  Serch  her  on  the 
aforesaid  Suspicion,  and  that  he  likewise  Som  all  evidences 
that  he  Shall  Be  informed  of  as  materiall  in  the  Complaint, 
and  that  She  continue  in  the  Sherr  Costody  unless  She  give 
good  bond  And  Security  for  her  Appearance  at  the  next  Court, 
and  that  She  be  of  the  Good  behaviour  towards  her  Majestic 
and  all  her  Leidge  people  in  the  mean  time. 

[Under  July  5,  1706.] 

Present,  Mr  Jn°  Richason,  Captn  Jn°  Moseley,  Captn  Henry 
Chapman,  Captn  Wm  Smyth,  Justices. 

Whereas  for  this  Severall  Courts  the  Business  between  luke 
hill  and  Grace  Sherwood  on  Suspicion  of  witchcraft  have  Been 
for  Severall  things  omitted,  perticularly  for  want  of  a  Jury  to 
Serch  her,  and  the  Court  being  Doubtfull  That  they  Should 
not  get  one  this  Court,  and  being  willing  to  have  all  means 
possible  tryed  either  to  acquit  her  or  to  Give  more  Strength  to 
the  Suspicion  that  She  might  be  Dealt  wth  as  Deserved,  there- 
fore it  was  Ordrd  that  this  Day  by  her  own  Consent  to  be 
tried  in  the  water  by  Ducking,1  but  the  weather  being  very 
Rainy  and  Bad  Soe  that  possibly  it  might  endanger  her  health, 
it  is  therefore  ordrd  that  the  Sherr  request  the  Justices  pre- 
cisely to  appear  on  wednessday  next  by  term  of  the  Clock  at 
the  Court  house,  and  that  he  Secure  the  body  of  the  Sd  Grace 
till  that  time  to  be  forth  Coming,  then  to  be  Dealt  wth  as 
afore  sd.  Jn°  Richason,  Henry  Chapman.2 

[Under  July  10,  1706.] 

Whereas  Grace  Sherwood  being  Suspected  of  witchcraft 
have  a  long  time  waited  for  a  Fit  uppertunity  For  a  Further 
Examinacion,  and  by  her  Consent  and  Approbacion  of  this 
Court,  it  is  ordr  that  the  Sherr  take  all  Such  Convenient  assis- 
tance of  boats  and  men  as  Shall  be  by  him  thought  Fitt,  to 
meet  at  Jn°  Harpers  plantacion  in  ordr  to  take  the  Sd  Grace 
forthwith  and  put  her  into  above  mans  Debth  and  try  her  how 

1  As  to  this  water  ordeal  for  witches  see  above,  p.  21,  and  note  3. 

1  These  gentlemen  were  doubtless  a  committee  charged  with  the  matter. 


442         NARRATIVES  OF  THE  WITCHCRAFT  CASES       [1706 

She  Swims  Therein,  alwayes  having  Care  of  her  life  to  preserve 
her  from  Drowning,  and  as  Soon  as  She  Comes  Out  that  he 
request  as  many  Ansient  and  Knowing  women  as  possible  he 
Cann  to  Serch  her  Carefully  For  all  teats  spotts  and  marks 
about  her  body  not  usuall  on  Others,  and  that  as  they  Find  the 
Same  to  make  report  on  Oath  To  the  truth  thereof  to  the 
Court,  and  further  it  is  ordr  that  Som  women  be  requested  to 
Shift  and  Serch  her  before  She  goe  into  the  water,  that  She 
Carry  nothing  about  her  to  cause  any  Further  Suspicion. 

Wheras1  on  complaint  of  Luke  hill  in  behalf  of  her 
Majesty  that  now  is  ag*  Grace  Sherwood  for  a  person  Suspected 
of  witchcraft,  and  having  had  Sundry  Evidences  Sworne  ag* 
her,  proving  Many  Cercumstances  to  which  She  could  not 
make  any  excuse  or  Little  or  nothing  to  say  in  her  own  Behalf, 
only  Seemed  to  Rely  on  what  the  Court  should  Doe,  and  there- 
upon consented  to  be  tryed  in  the  Water  and  Likewise  to  be 
Serched  againe,  w°h  experim*8  being  tryed  and  She  Swiming 
when  therein  and  bound  Contrary  To  Custom  and  the  Judg*  of 
all  the  Spectators,  and  afterwards  being  Serched  by  Five 
antient  weomen  who  have  all  Declared  on  Oath  that  She  is  not 
like  them  nor  noe  Other  woman  that  they  knew  of,  having  two 
things  like  titts  on  her  private  parts  of  a  Black  Coller,  being 
Blacker  than  the  Rest  of  her  Body,  all  which  Cercumstance 
the  Court  weighing  in  their  Consideracion  Doe  therefore  ordr 
that  the  Sherr  take  the  Sd  Grace  Into  his  Costody  and  to  Com- 
mit her  body  to  the  Common  Goal  of  this  County  there  to 
Secure  her  by  irons,  or  otherwise  there  to  Remaine  till  Such 
time  as  he  Shall  be  otherwise  Directed  in  ordr  for  her  coming 
to  the  Common  Goale  of  the  country2  to  bee  brought  to  a 
Future  Tryall  there.3  Edward  Moseley  and  Mr.  Richason.4 

1  This  entry  is  made  later  on  the  same  day :  the  court  had  merely  taken  a 
recess  for  the  "ducking." 

1 1.  e.,  at  Williamsburg.    See  p.  439,  note  1. 

s  If,  at  the  next  session  of  the  General  Court,  Grace  Sherwood  came  up  for 
trial,  the  records  are  missing,  and  probably  perished  in  the  burning  of  the  State 
Courthouse  in  1865.  She  at  least  survived  the  trial;  for  in  1708  she  was  confess- 
ing judgment  for  six  hundred  pounds  of  tobacco,  and  in  1733  willing  her  estate 
to  her  three  sons.  It  is  not  till  1740  that  the  proving  of  that  will  shows  her 
deceased. 

4  Perhaps  the  committee  that  drafted  this  verdict. 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Abbot,  Abiel,  History  of  Andaver,  180  n., 
242  n. 

Abbot,  Benjamin,  testifies  against 
Martha  Carrier,  241,  242. 

Abbot,  Nehemiah,  testifies  against 
Elizabeth  How,  239. 

Abbot,  Sarah,  testimony,  242. 

Abraham,  431. 

Acosta,  Joseph,  245;  Natural  and  Moral 
History  of  the  Indies,  245  n. 

Adams  and  Stiles,  History  of  Ancient 
Wethersfield,  48  n. 

Addington,  Isaac,  proclamation  for 
day  of  prayer,  385,  386. 

Admonitio  de  Superstitionibus  Magicis 
vitandis,  by  Nicholas  Hemming,  247, 
247  n. 

Ady,  Thomas,  A  Candle  in  the  Dark, 
222,  222  n.;  A  Perfect  Discovery  of 
Witches,  222,  222  n. 

Ahithophel,  story  of,  427  n. 

Albany,  N.  Y.,  destruction  of  docu- 
ments in  fire  at,  43. 

Alciati,  Andrea,  Italian  jurist,  424  n.; 
opposes  witch  persecution,  424  n. 

Alden,  John,  of  the  Mayflower,  170  n. 

Alden,  Capt.  John,  187  n.,  188  n., 
352  n. ;  suspected  of  witchcraft,  170, 
170  n.,  171,  178,  178  n.;  account  of 
trial  for  witchcraft,  352-355;  fast  at 
house  of,  355  n.;  Judge  Sewall  reads 
sermon  for,  355  n.;  prayer  for,  355  n.; 
acquittal,  383. 

Alden,  Rev.  Lucius,  describes  house  of 
George  Walton,  61  n. 

Allen,  Rev.  James,  362,  362  n.;  min- 
ister of  First  Church  in  Boston,  97, 
97  n.,  118. 

Allen,  John,  testifies  against  Susanna 
Martin,  230,  231. 

Allen,  Small,  member  of  grand  jury,  86. 

Allyn,  John,  secretary  of  the  colony  of 
Connecticut,  34  n. 

Amazeen,  John,  an  Italian,  62,  74;  ar- 
rests George  Walton,  76  n. 


America  and  West  Indies,  Calendar  of 

State  Papers,  76  n. 
American    Antiquarian    Society,    255, 

255  n.,    256  n.;     Proceedings,    91  n., 
186  n.,   197  n.,   207  n.,   215  n.;    Dr. 
Samuel  F.  Haven,  librarian  of,  256, 

256  n.;  Isaiah  Thomas,  president  of, 
256  n.;  papers  of  Samuel   Mather 
in,  256  n. 

American  Criminal  Trials,  Chandler, 
347  n.,  380  n. 

American  Historical  Magazine,  18  n. 

Andover,  Mass.,  cases  of  witchcraft, 
180, 180  n.,  371-374,  419-422;  Dane, 
Rev.  Francis,  pastor  at,  420  n. 

Andover,  Historical  Sketches  of,  by  S.  L. 
Bailey,  180  n.,  242  n.,  366  n.,  420  n., 
423  n. 

Andover,  History  of,  by  Abiel  Abbot, 
180  n.,  242  n. 

Andover,  Witchcraft  at,  by  Sarah  Loring 
Bailey,  420  n. 

Andrew,  Daniel,  366  n. 

Andros  government,  76  n.;  overthrow 
in  New  England,  348  n. 

Annals  of  Witchcraft,  by  S.  G.  Drake, 
31  n.,  410  n. 

Another  Brand  Pluck' d  Out  of  the  Burn- 
ing, 258  n. 

Anthony,  Allard,  sheriff  of  New  York, 
45. 

Apollonius  of  Tyana,  302,  302  n. 

Arnold,  John,  prison  keeper,  warrant 
for  prisoners,  354-355. 

Ashcom,  Charles,  accuses  Margaret 
Mattson  of  witchcraft,  86. 

Assemblies  Catechism,  The,  by  John 
Cotton,  113. 

Assistance  to  Justices  of  the  Peace, 
An,  by  Joseph  Keble,  411,  412, 
412  n. 

Atkinson,  John,  testifies  against  Su- 
sanna Martin,  231. 

Atkinson,  Sarah,  testifies  against  Su- 
sanna Martin,  234,  235. 


445 


446 


INDEX 


Aves,  Samuel,  testimony  relative  to 

case  of  Margaret  Rule,  337. 
Ayres,  Good  wife,  21  n. 

Bailey,  Rev.  John,  362,  362  n.;  min- 
ister at  Watertown,  Conn.,  124  n. 

Bailey,  Sarah  Loring,  Historical 
Sketches  of  Andover,  180  n.,  242  n., 
366  n.,  420  n.,  423  n.;  Witchcraft  at 
Andover,  420  n. 

Baillehache,  Jean  de,  10  n. 

Baker,  Thomas,  service  as  juror,  44, 
44  n. 

Balding,  Thomas,  attestation  of,  87. 

Ballard,  Joseph,  asks  accusers  who  af- 
flicted wife,  371-372,  374. 

Ballard,  Mrs.  Joseph,  180,  180  n.,  371- 
372. 

Barbadoes  :  Hooton,  Oliver,  merchant 
of,  69;  Parris,  Rev.  Samuel,  engaged 
in  West  Indian  trade,  153  n. 

Barefoot,  Capt.  Walter,  deputy  col- 
lector for  province  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, 67,  67  n.,  72;  witness  of  stone 
throwing  in  house  of  George  Walton, 
69. 

Barker,  Abigail,  account  of  confession, 
374-375. 

Barker,  William,  preservation  of  in- 
dictment, 380  n.;  confesses  witch- 
craft, 419-422. 

Barnard,  Rev.  Thomas,  375,  375  n. 

Barnes,  Anthony,  accuses  Grace  Sher- 
wood of  witchcraft,  436. 

Barnes,  Elizabeth,  forewoman  of  wo- 
man jury,  439. 

Barnes,  John,  member  of  grand  jury, 
85,  86. 

Bassett,  Goodwife,  confesses  witchcraft, 
410  n. 

Batcheler,  John,  juryman  at  Salem 
trials,  388. 

Baxter,  Richard,  92;  The  Certainty  of 
the  Worlds  of  Spirits,  98,  98  n.,  208, 
320  n.,  416,  416  n. 

Bayard,  Nicholas,  marries  Judith  Var- 
leth,  19  n. 

Beale,  William,  371  n. 

Beard,  4. 

Beaumond,  Mr., see  Baillehache,  Jean  de. 

Belknap,  Dr.  Jeremy,  291,  376  n.; 
The  Remainder  of  the  Account  of  the 
Salem  Witchcraft,  376  n. 


Bellingham,  Gov.  Richard,  410  n. 

Bellomont,  Earl  of,  governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  New  York,  292  n. 

Benham,  Joseph,  385  n. 

Benham,  Winifred,  acquitted  of  witch- 
craft, 385,  385  n. 

Bentley,  Rev.  William,  187  n.,  371  n. 

Bernard,  Rev.  Richard,  330,  330  n., 
412;  Guide  to  Grand-Jurymen  .  .  . 
in  cases  of  Witchcraft,  163,  304  n., 
416,  416  n.;  rules  for  detection  of 
witches,  205. 

Berwick,  Me.,  259  n. 

Beverly,  Mass.,  Rev.  John  Hale,  min- 
ister at,  397. 

Bezac,  Edward,  member  of  petty  jury, 
86. 

Bibber,  Sarah,  addicted  to  fits,  154, 
154  n.,  155,  344. 

Biles,  William,  attended  Council,  85. 

Biographical  Dictionary,  Eliot,  293  n. 

Bishop,  Bridget  (alias  Oliver),  249,  378, 
419  n.,  422,  422  n.;  trial  for  witch- 
craft, 223-228,  229,  397,  397  n.; 
false  accusations  against,  356,  356  n. 

Bishop,  Edward,  347  n.;  husband  of 
Bridget,  225;  accused  of  witchcraft, 
347;  escapes  from  prison  with  wife, 
370. 

Bishop,  George,  New  England  Judged, 
35  n.;  43  n.,  44  n. 

Bishop,  Samuel,  370. 

Black,  G.  F.,  xviii,  207  n. 

Black,  Mary,  a  negro,  accused  of  witch- 
craft, 347. 

Black-Man,  appearance  of,  309,  310, 
312. 

Black  witchcraft,  425,  425  n. 

Blathwayt,  William,  letter  to,  198  n. 

Bly,  John,  testifies  against  Bridget 
Bishop,  225,  228. 

Bly,  William,  testifies  against  Bridget 
Bishop,  228. 

Bodleian  Library,  150  n. 

Body  of  Liberties,  Massachusetts  laws, 
181  n.,  363  n. 

Bolton,  Robert,  History  of  the  County  of 
Westchester,  42  n. 

Borden,  Matthew,  witness  of  stone 
throwing  in  house  of  George  Walton, 
69. 

Boston,  Mass. :  Mather,  Increase,  min- 
ister of  North  Church,  3;  Old  South 


INDEX 


447 


Church,  22  n.,  97,  97  n.,  118,  177, 
186  n. ;  Morse,  William,  wife  tried 
for  witchcraft,  31  n.;  Broughton, 
Thomas,  merchant  at,  37  n.;  Allen, 
James,  minister  at  First  Church,  97, 
97  n.,  118;  Moodey,  Joshua,  associ- 
ate minister  of  First  Church,  97, 97  n., 
118;  Willard,  Rev.  Samuel,  pastor 
of  Old  South  Church,  97,  97  n.,  118; 
Public  Library,  151;  Thacher,  Rev. 
Thomas,  first  minister  of  Old  South 
Church,  177  n.;  justices,  185;  Wil- 
son, Rev.  John,  first  minister  at, 
213,  213  n.;  Mather,  Cotton,  re- 
plies to  ministers  at,  214,  214  n.; 
Jones,  Margaret,  executed  at,  408, 
408  n. 

Boston,  History  and  Antiquities  of, 
151  n.,  295  n. 

Boston,  Memorial  History  of,  W.  F. 
Poole  in,  256,  256  n.,  292  n.,  295  n., 
307  n.,  408  n.,  410  n. 

Boston  Record  Commissioners'  Reports, 
291  n.,  295  n. 

Boush,  Maximilian,  prosecutes  Grace 
Sherwood,  440. 

Boyle,  Robert,  16;  governor  of  the  Cor- 
poration for  the  Spread  of  the  Gospel 
in  New  England,  16  n.;  Philosophi- 
cal Works,  16  n. 

Bracy,  Thomas,  attestation  of,  87. 

Bradbury,  Capt.  Thomas,  366  n. 

Bradbury,  Mary,  convicted  of  witch- 
craft, 185  n.,  366,  366  n. 

Bradford,  William,  187  n. 

Bradstreet,  Capt.  Dudley,  justice  of 
the  peace,  180,  180  n.;  accused  of 
witchcraft,  372. 

Bradstreet,  Gov.  Simon,  372  n.,  412; 
condemns  proceedings  against  witch- 
craft, 184. 

Braintree,  Mass.:  Fiske,  Rev.  Moses, 
minister  at,  109  n.;  Thompson,  min- 
ister at,  409,  409  n. 

Brand  pluck'd  out  of  the  Burning,  A, 
by  Cotton  Mather,  xiii,  258  n.,  259- 
287;  introduction  to,  255-258. 

Branford,  Conn.,  137  n.;  Rev.  Abra- 
ham Pierson,  minister  at,  139,  139  n. 
See  also  Tocutt. 

Brattle,  Thomas,  168,  186  n.,  187  n., 
188  n.,  248  n.,  291,  376  n.;  member 
of  Royal  Society,  167;  treasurer  of 


Harvard  College,  167;  biographical 
sketch,  167,  168;  introduction  to 
letter  of,  167,  168;  Letter  of,  169- 
190. 

Bridgers,  Ann,  member  of  woman  jury, 
439. 

Brigham,  C.  S.,  librarian  of  American 
Antiquarian  Society,  xiii,  256  n. 

Bristol,  R.  I.,  Rev.  Benjamin  Wood- 
bridge,  minister  at,  65,  65  n. 

Broadbent,  Joshua,  Boston  Tory,  362  n. 

Brookhaven,  L.  I.,  case  of  witchcraft 
from,  43. 

Brookhaven,  Town  of,  Records,  44  n. 

Broughton,  Thomas,  merchant  of  Bos- 
ton, 37  n. 

Brown,  William,  wife  strangely  af- 
flicted by  Susanna  Martin,  234. 

Bruce,  Philip  Alexander,  Institutional 
History  of  Virginia  in  the  Seventeenth 
Century,  435,  435  n. 

Brunning,  John,  Memorable  Providences 
published  by,  93. 

Bulkeley,  Rev.  Gershom,  Witt  and 
Doom,  411  n. 

Burgess,  Mary,  member  of  woman 
jury,  439. 

Burroughs,  Rev.  George,  241  n.,  378, 
379,  417-419;  execution  of,  177  n., 
215-222,  360-361;  graduate  of  Har- 
vard College,  215n.;  minister  at 
Wells,  Me.,  215  n.;  accused  of  afflict- 
ing Ann  Lawson  by  witchcraft,  217, 
218;  treatment  of  wife  and  daughter, 
220,  221 ;  speech  declaring  innocence, 
360-361;  testimony  against,  421, 
421  n. 

Burton,  R.,  The  Kingdom  of  Darkness, 
416,  416  n.,  425,  425  n. 

Buxton,  John,  complaint  of,  347. 

Byfield,  N.,  condemns  proceedings 
against  witchcraft,  184.  . 

Byrd,  Anne,  charged  with  witchcraft, 
436. 

Caen,  France,  10,  10  n. 

Calamy,  Edmund,  Continuation,  150  n. 

Calef,  Judge  John,  funeral  sermon  for, 
293  n. 

Calef,  Robert,  a  Boston  merchant,  xiii, 
152  n.,  153  n.,  201  n.,  215  n.,  380  n., 
397,  413  n.;  More  Wonders  of  the 
Invisible  World,  124  n.,  207,  208, 


448 


INDEX 


289-393,  294  n.;  free  from  supersti- 
tion, 291;  biographical  sketch,  291- 
295;  arrival  in  America,  292;  auto- 
graphs, 292  n.;  article  by  W.  S.  Har- 
ris on,  292n.-293n.,  295  n.;  chil- 
dren of,  293, 295  n. ;  Cotton  Mather's 
reference  to  book  of,  293-294;  re- 
tires to  Roxbury,  294-295;  burial- 
place,  295;  reprints  of  book,  295; 
memoir  by  S.  G.  Drake,  295  n.;  wife 
of,  295  n.;  aim  in  writing  book,  297; 
call  to  vindicate  the  truth,  301 ;  com- 
parison of  the  powers  of  God  and  the 
Devil,  301;  evils  arising  from  doc- 
trine of  devils  and  witchcraft,  303- 
304;  letters  to  Cotton  Mather,  329- 
333,  338-341;  letters  from  Cotton 
Mather,  333-337;  opinion  of  Cotton 
Mather,  388,  388  n. 

Calef,  Robert,  Jr.,  xiii,  291,  291  n.-292, 
292  n.,  295  n. 

Calef  pedigree,  291  n.-293  n. 

Calendar  of  State  Papers,  Colonial,  A  mer- 
ica  and  West  Indies,  76  n.,  198  n., 
201  n.,  202  n.,  362  n. 

Cambridge  Jests,  The,  112. 

Cambridge  Platonism,  5,  246. 

Camerarius,  Philip,  4. 

Candle  in  the  Dark,  A,  by  Thomas  Ady, 
222,  222  n. 

Carlton,  William,  295. 

Carpenter,  Samuel,  member  of  grand 
jury,  85;  attended  Council,  88. 

Carrier,  Andrew,  363  n. 

Carrier,  Martha,  of  Andover,  241, 
241  n.,  379,  418,  418  n.,  419  n.;  trial 
and  execution,  177  n.,  241-244,  360, 
360  n.,  361,  361  n.;  accused  of  witch- 
craft, 241-244,  421,  421  n.;  asserts 
innocence,  241  n.;  own  children  tes- 
tify against,  421,  421  n. 

Carrier,  Richard,  243,  363  n.,  419, 
419  n. 

Cartesian  philosophy,  171. 

Carthage,  Fourth  Council  of,  303, 303  n. 

Cartwright,  Alice,  436. 

Gary,  Captain  Nathaniel,  349  n.;  ac- 
count of  wife's  trial  for  witchcraft, 
349-352. 

Gary,  Mrs.  Nathaniel,  imprisoned  fof 
witchcraft,  178-180;  account  of  trial 
for  witchcraft,  349-352;  escape  from 
Cambridge  prison,  352  n. 


Cases  of  Conscience,  by  Increase  Mather, 
149,  194  n.,  304  n.,  357,  357  n.,  377, 
377  n.,  383  n.,  389. 

Casus  Medicinales,  by  Balthasar  Ti- 
maus  von  Guldenklee,  319  n. 

Certainty  of  the  Worlds  of  Spirits,  The, 
by  Richard  Baxter,  98,  98  n.,  208, 
320  n.,  416,  416  n. 

Chamberlain,  Elizabeth,  marries  Mar- 
tin Lumley,  56. 

Chamberlain,  Richard,  35  n.,  76  n.; 
lodged  at  house  of  George  Walton, 
35  n.;  biographical  sketch,  55-57; 
Lithobolia  or  Stone-Throwing  Devil, 
58-77. 

Chambers,  Robert,  Domestic  Annals  of 
Scotland,  300  n. 

Chandler,  American  Criminal  Trials, 
347  n. ;  William  Barker's  indictment 
preserved  by,  380  n. 

Chandler,  Phebe,  accuses  Martha  Car- 
rier of  witchcraft,  243. 

Chapman,  Capt.  Henry,  justice  of  the 
peace,  438,  441. 

Charlestown,  Mass.:  Morton,  Charles, 
minister  at,  97,  97  n.;  witchcraft 
cases,  349,  382. 

Chever,  G.  F.,  articles  by,  371  n. 

Chiever,  Mr.,  present  at  Salem  execu- 
tions, 361  n. 

Christmas  celebration,  Puritan  horror 
of,  274,  274  n. 

Christ's  Fidelity  the  only  Shield  against 
Satan's  Malignity,  by  Rev.  Deodat 
Lawson,  158  n.,  159  n. 

Church  of  England,  168. 

Chyrurgion,  treatise  of,  319,  319  n. 

City  Island,  L.  I.  Sound,  47  n. 

Clark,  Elizabeth,  affidavit  of,  61  n. 

Clark,  Mary,  151  n. 

Clark,  Miss,  see  Mrs.  Towne. 

Clark,  Walter,  deputy  governor  of 
Rhode  Island,  69,  69  n.;  witness  of 
stone  throwing  in  house  of  George 
Walton,  69,  69  n. 

Clarke,  Samuel,  4;  Mirrour  .  .  .  of 
Examples,  10  n. 

Claypoole,  James,  86. 

.Clayton,  William,  attended  Council,  85. 

Cloyse,  Sarah,  161,  161  n.,  347  n.; 
committed  for  witchcraft,  346. 

Cock,  John,  87. 

Cock,  Lasse,  attended  Council,  85,  86. 


INDEX 


449 


Coffin,  Joshua,  History  of  Newbury, 
31  n. 

Coke,  Institutes,  374  n. 

Cole,  Ann,  afflicted  with  fits,  18;  ef- 
fect of  demons  on,  18,  20 n.;  influ- 
ence of  Dutch  family  on,  18-19; 
story  of,  18-21,  113. 

Cole,  Matthew,  killed  by  lightning, 
20  n. 

Collet,  Jeremiah,  member  of  petty  jury, 
86. 

Cologne,  Henricus  ab  Heer,  physician 
of,  266,  266  n. 

Colonial  Entry  Books,  198  n.,  202  n. 

Colonial  Records  of  Connecticut,,  135  n. 

Colonial  Society  of  Massachusetts, 
Publications,  371  n.,  375  n. 

Colve,  Gov.  Anthony,  dismisses  case 
against  Katharine  Harrison,  52  n. 

Coman,  Richard,  testifies  against  Brid- 
get Bishop,  225. 

Common  Law,  by  Joseph  Keble,  412, 
416. 

Connecticut,  witch  cases,  18  n.;  Al- 
lyn,  John,  secretary  of  the  colony 

,  of,  34  n.;  Court  of  Assistants, 
48 n.;  Winthrop,  John,  governor  of, 
93  n. 

Connecticut  as  a  Colony  and  as  a  Stale, 
by  F.  Morgan,  18  n. 

ConnecticuttColonialRecords,'L9n.,42Q.., 
48  n.,  135  n.,  410  n. 

Connecticut,  Colonial,  The  Witchcraft 
Delusion  in,  by  J.  M.  Taylor,  18  n., 
48  n. 

Connecticut  Historical  Society,  Col- 
lections, 411  n. 

Connecticut,  Witchcraft  in,  by  C.  H. 
Levermore,  52  n. 

Continuation,  by  Edmund  Calamy, 
150  n. 

Cook,  Arthur,  witness  to  stone  throw- 
ing in  house  of  George  Walton,  69, 
69  n. 

'    Cook,  John,  accuses  Bridget  Bishop  of 
witchcraft,  224. 

Coolin,    Annakey,    accuses    Margaret 

Mattson  of  witchcraft,  87. 
(  Corey,  Giles,  154  n.,  250,  295;  pressed 
to  death,  366,  367,  367  n. 

Corey,  Martha,  convicted  of  witch- 
craft, 154-156,  157,  343-344,  366, 
367. 


Cornell  University,  President  White 
Library,  160  n. 

Cornick,  John,  justice  of  the  peace, 
438. 

Corwin,  Jonathan,  member  of  Court 
of  Assistants,  158,  158 n.;  of  Court 
of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  178,  178  n., 
185  n.,  353,  355. 

Coscinomancy,  181  n. 

Cotle,  Mary,  member  of  woman  jury, 
439. 

Cotton,  Rev.  John,  137  n.;  law  of 
Moses  as  codified  by,  42;  Cotton 
Mather,  grandson  of,  91;  Milk  for 
Babes,  113;  The  Assemblies  Cate- 
chism, 113;  preacher  to  Indians,  309, 
309  n. 

Cotton  Mather  and  Salem  Witchcraft,  by 
W.  F.  Poole,  91,  91  n. 

Cotton  Mather,  the  Puritan  Priest,  by 
Barrett  Wendell,  91,  91  n. 

Countrey  Justice,  The,  by  Michael  Dai- 
ton,  163  n.,  304  n.,  436,  436  n. 

Court  of  Assistants,  355  n. 

Court  of  Assizes,  description  of,  43, 
43  n. 

Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  see  Oyer 
and  Terminer,  Court  of. 

Cranfield,  Edward,  first  royal  governor 
of  New  Hampshire,  60. 

Criminal  Law  of  England,  The  Use  of 
Torture  in,  102  n. 

Crocker,  Hannah  Mather,  granddaugh- 
ter of  Cotton  Mather,  255,  255  n., 
256  n. ;  gift  of  Mather  papers,  256  n. 

Crouch,  Nathaniel,  publisher,  416  n. 

Cudworth,  Ralph,  Intellectual  System, 
246  n. 

Cummings,  Isaac,  depositions  of,  239, 
240. 

"Curiosities,"  by  Cotton,  Mather,  245- 
250. 

Curwin,  Jonathan,  see  Corwin. 

Gushing,  President,  Hampden-Sidney 
College,  436. 

Daemonolatreia,  by  Nicolas  Remy,  424, 
424  n. 

Dalton,"  Michael,  440  n.;  The  Coun- 
trey Justice,  163  n.,  304  n.,  436, 
436  n. 

Dane,  Deliverance,  account  of  confes- 
sion, 374-375. 


450 


INDEX 


Dane,  John,  juryman  at  Salem  trials, 
388. 

Dane,  Rev.  Francis,  pastor  at  Andover, 
420  n. 

Danforth,  Thomas,  deputy  governor 
of  Massachusetts,  condemns  proceed- 
ings against  witchcraft,  184;  judge 
of  Superior  Court,  382,  383. 

Danvers,  Mass.,  see  Salem  Village. 

Danvers,  Hanson,  342  n. 

Danvers  Highlands,  152  n.,  153  n. 

Darter,  Edward,  member  of  petty 
jury,  86. 

Daston,  Sarah,  death  of,  383;  impris- 
oned for  witchcraft,  383,  383  n. 

Davenport,  Rev.  John,  5,  137  n.;  bio- 
graphical sketch,  12  n. 

David,  King  of  Israel,  429,  431. 

Davis,  History  of  WaUingford  and  Meri- 
den,  385  n. 

Davis,  Winifred,  member  of  woman 
jury,  439. 

Day,  John,  member  of  grand  jury, 
85. 

Dean,  J.  W.,  article  in  New  England 
Historical  and  Genealogical  Register, 
58  n. 

Declaration  of  the  Ground  of  Error,  A, 
etc.,  by  George  Fox,  81  n. 

De  Hceretico  Comburendo,  374  n. 

Delaware,  The  Swedish  Settlements  on 
the,  by  Amandus  Johnson,  83  n. 

Delaware  County,  Pennsylvania,  His- 
tory of,  by  Smith,  84  n.,  87  n.,  88  n. 

Delaware  River,  colony  of  William 
Penn  on  the,  82,  83;  Swedish  colony 
on  the,  83. 

Delft,  Devil  appears  in  shape  of  a  boy 
at,  137. 

De  Magnetica  Vulnerum  Curatione,  by 
Jan  Baptista  van  Helmont,  319  n. 

Demons,  effect  on  Ann  Cole,  18,  20  n.; 
effect  on  Elizabeth  Knap,  22,  23; 
haunt  house  of  William  Morse,  23- 
32;  cause  disturbance  in  house  of 
Mr.  Mompesson,  32  n.;  feats  of,  59, 
60;  appear  in  various  forms  to 
Martha  Goodwin,  110-126;  appear 
to  wife  of  Thomas  Putnam,  156-158; 
persecute  Mercy  Short,  261-268, 269, 
270,  271,  272,  275,  277,  278,  279,  280, 
282,  285,  286;  description  of,  297- 
298. 


Dennis,  Hannah,  member  of  woman 
jury,  439. 

Desborough,  Nicholas,  of  Hartford, 
strangely  molested,  33-34. 

Deusing,  Antonius,  treatise  by,  319  n. 

Devils,  see  Demons;  Satan. 

Devils,  The  Doctrine  of,  by  John  Wag- 
staffe,  6. 

Dialogues,  Pope  Gregory,  4. 

Diary  of  Cotton  Mather,  edited  by 
Worthington  C.  Ford,  91  n.;  see  also 
Mather,  Cotton,  j 

Dictionary  of  Vulgar  Terms,  by  Grose, 
300  n. 

Discoverie  of  Witches,  by  Thomas  Potts, 
163  n.,  219  n. 

Diseases  ascribed  to  witchcraft,  319  n. 

Doctrine  of  Devils  proved  to  be  the 
Grand  Apostacy  of  these  Later  Times, 
The,  William  Sewel,  translator  of, 
82  n. 

Documents  and  Records  relating  to 
the  Province  of  New  Hampshire, 
61  n. 

Documents  relating  to  the  Colonial  His- 
tory of  New  York,  19  n. 

Dow,  George  Francis,  Records  and  Files 
of  the  Quarterly  Courts  of  Essex 
County,  151;  records  case  of  Eliza- 
beth How,  237  n. 

Downer,  Robert,  accuses  Susanna  Mar- 
tin of  witchcraft,  232,  232  n. 

Drake,  S.  G.,  153  n.,  295;  Annals  of 
Witchcraft,  xviii,  31  n.,  52  n.,  410  n.; 
editor  of  The  Witchcraft  Delusion  in 
New  England,  151  n.,  208,  343  n.; 
memoir  of  Calef,  295  n. 

Drystreet,  Henry,  accuses  Margaret 
Mattson  of  witchcraft,  86;  member 
of  grand  jury,  86. 

Ducket,  Thomas,  member  of  grand 
jury,  85. 

Dudley,  Joseph,  judge  in  New  York, 
195  n. 

Duke's  Laws,  43  n. 

Dunton,  John,  148,  207. 

Dutch  Calvinism,  leaders  of,  41. 

Duxbury,  Mass.,  effects  of  thunder- 
storm at,  14-15. 

Eames,  Rebecca,  convicted  of  witch- 
craft, 366;  indictment  extant,  380. 
Earl,  Mr.,  of  Colchester,  story  of,  9. 


INDEX 


451 


\f 


Earle,  Robert,  testimony  relative  to 
case  of  Margaret  Rule,  337. 

Easthampton,  Mass.,  case  of  witch- 
craft at,  42;  Elizabeth  Garlick  in- 
dicted for  witchcraft  at,  42;  letter 
from  Governor  Winthrop,  42  n. 

Easthampton,  Town  of,  Records  of  the, 
42  n. 

East  Riding,  L.  I.,  45,  45  n. 

Eaton,  Theophilus,  governor  of  New 
Haven  colony,  140,  140  n. 

Eliot,  Biographical  Dictionary,  293  n. 

Eliot,  Edmund,  testifies  against  Su- 
sanna Martin,  233,  234. 

Elliott,  Andrew,  juryman  at  Salem 
trials,  388. 

Elson,  Abraham,  19  n. 

Emerson,  John,  clerical  schoolmaster 
at  Salem,  37  n.,  377  n. 

Enchantments  Encountered,  by  Cotton 
Mather,  205. 

Endicot,  Dr.  Zorobbabel,  250. 

Endicott,  John,  governor  of  Massachu- 
setts, 250  n. 

England,  punishment  of  witches  in, 
374  n.;  witchcraft  in,  215  n. 

England  and  Ireland,  Collection  of  sun- 
dry tryals  in,  by  Joseph  Glanvil,  416. 

English,  Mary,  347  n.;  accused  of 
witchcraft,  347. 

English,  Philip,  151  n.,  347;  imprison- 
ment and  escape,  178,  178  n.,  187, 
371;  arrested  for  witchcraft,  371  n.; 
biographical  sketch,  371  n. 

English,  Mrs.  Philip,  188  n. 

English  Law,  History  of,  by  Pollock  and 
Maitland,  367  n. 

Episcopius,  disbeliever  in  witchcraft,  41. 

Essay  for  the  Recording  of  Illustrious 
Providences,  by  Increase  Mather,  6, 
6  n.,  8-38,  65  n.,  1 13,  303,  398,  410  n. 

Essex,  England,  persecution  of  witches 
in,  425,  425  n. 

Essex  County,  Records  and  Files  of  the 
Quarterly  Courts  of,  edited  by  George 
Francis  Dow,  151. 

Essex  Institute,  Proceedings,  153  n. ; 
Collections,  198  n.,  360  n.,  370  n., 
371  n. 

Esty,  Isaac,  347. 

Esty,  Mary,  xiv,  347  n.;  accused  and 
convicted  of  witchcraft,  347,  366, 
367;  petition  to  judges,  368-369. 


Eton  College,  9. 

Euer,  Robert,  foreman  of  grand  jury, 

85. 
Evans,   Nathaniel,   member   of  petty 

jury,  86. 
Evelith,    Joseph,    juryman    at    Salem 

trials,  388. 

Falkner,  Abigail,  conviction,  366;  ac- 
cused of  witchcraft,  420,  420  n.; 
children  testify  against,  421,  421  n.; 
neighbors  testify  against,  421,  421  n. 

Farmington,  Conn.,  Samuel  Hooker, 
pastor  at,  19,  19  n. 

Farnworth,  Richard,  Witchcraft  Cast 
out  from  the  Religious  Seed  and  Israel 
of  God,  81  n.,  82. 

Faustus,  Dr.,  stories  of,  137. 

Fisher,  John,  member  of  grand  jury, 
85. 

Fisk,  Thomas,  reasons  for  judging  Re- 
becca Nurse  guilty,  358-359;  fore- 
man of  jury  at  Salem  trials,  388. 

Fisk,  Thomas,  Jr.,  juryman  at  Salem 
trials,  388. 

Fisk,  William,  juryman  at  Salem  trials, 
388. 

Fiske,  John,  New  France  and  New  En- 
gland, 153  n. 

Fiske,  Rev.  Moses,  minister  at  Brain- 
tree,  109  n. 

Flower,  Enock,  member  of  grand  jury, 
86. 

Ford,  Worthington  C.,  306  n.;  Diary 
of  Cotton  Mather,  edited  by,  91  n. 

Foster,  Ann,  confesses  her  share  in 
witchcraft,  244;  conviction,  366, 
367  n.;  attends  witch  meeting,  418; 
imprisonment,  418,  418  n.,  419  n. 

Foster,  Rose,  afflicted  by  witchcraft, 
420,  420  n. 

Fowler,  S.  P.,  295;  account  in  Proceed- 
ings, Essex  Institute,  153n.;  Salem 
Witchcraft,  207. 

Fox,  George,  A  Declaration  of  the 
Ground  of  Error,  etc.,  81  n.;  power 
to  detect  witchcraft,  81,  82. 

Foxcroft,  Francis,  condemns  proceed- 
ings against  witchcraft,  184. 

France,  nine  hundred  executed  for 
witchcraft,  424,  424  n. 

French,  attack  upon  frontier  towns, 
199. 


452 


INDEX 


Frith,  Dr.,  apparitions  appearing  to,  9. 

Fry,  Deacon,  wife  imprisoned  for  witch- 
craft, 180. 

Further  Account  of  the  Tryals  of  the  New- 
England  Witches,  148,  149  n. 

Garland,  John,  service  as  juror,  45. 

Garlick,  Elizabeth,  indicted  for  witch- 
craft, 42. 

Gaule,  John,  rector  of  Great  Stough- 
ton,  England,  216, 216  n.,  239, 304  n., 
330;  rules  for  detection  of  witches, 
205;  Select  Cases  of  Conscience  touch- 
ing Witches  and  Witchcrafts,  216  n., 
219,  219  n.,  221. 

Gedney,  Major  Bartholomew,  member 
of  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  170, 
170  n.,  185,  353,  353  n.,  355. 

Genealogical  Dictionary,  by  Savage, 
100  n. 

Gerrish,  Rev.  Joseph,  369  n. 

Gibbons,  John,  member  of  petty  jury, 
86. 

Gisburne,  John,  accuses  Grace  Sher- 
wood of  witchcraft,  436. 

Glanvil,  Joseph,  98,  98  n.;  A  Blow 
at  Modern  Sadducism,  5;  defence 
of  ghosts  and  witches,  5;  Saddu- 
cismus  Triumphatus,  6,  6  n.,  33  n., 
405  n.;  Collection  of  Modern  Rela- 
tions, or,  Collection  of  Sundry  tryals 
in  England  and  Ireland,  33  n.,  262  n., 
416. 

Glover,  Goodwife,  412,  412  n.;  trial  for 
witchcraft,  103-106,  111,  124  n. 

Good,  Dorcas,  a  child,  160,  160  n.;  put 
in  chains,  349  n. 

Good,  Sarah,  414,  414  n.;  imprison- 
ment, 159,  159  n.;  afflicts  Mercy 
Short,  259,  260,  260  n.;  child  ac- 
cused of  witchcraft,  345;  chains  for, 
349  n.;  trial  and  execution  of,  357- 
358. 

Goodacre,  Sarah,  member  of  woman 
jury,  439. 

Goodall,  Goodwife,  155;  affliction  of, 
344. 

Goodell,  A.  C.,  Further  Notes  on  the 
History  of  Witchcraft  in  Massachu- 
setts, 373  n. 

Goodwin,  Benjamin,  100  n.,  124  n. 

Goodwin,  Hannah,  100  n. 

Goodwin,    John,    a    mason,   99,    294; 


wife  distinguished  for  virtue  and 
piety,  99;  children  afflicted,  99-128, 
129,  143,  255,  276,  276  n.,  412, 
413. 

poodwin,  John,  Jr.,  100  n.,  124  n. 

Goodwin,  Martha,  100  n.;  demons  ap- 
pear in  various  forms  to,  110-126; 
ministers  pray  for,  118,  121. 

Goodwin,  Mercy,  100  n. 

Goodwin,  Nathaniel,  100  n. 

Goulart,  Simon,  4. 

Granite  Monthly,  293  n. 

Graves,  Thomas,  condemns  proceed- 
ings against  witchcraft,  184. 

Gray,  Samuel,  accuses  Bridget  Bishop 
of  witchcraft,  224;  false  testimony 
against  Bridget  Bishop,  356,  356  n. 

Great  Minifords  Island,  47. 

Green,  Dr.  S.  A.,  Groton  in  the  Witch- 
craft Times,  360  n. 

Greensmith,  Nathaniel,  executed  at 
Hartford,  20,  20  n. 

Greensmith,  Rebecca,  imprisonment, 
19, 19  n.;  executed  for  witchcraft,  20, 
20  n. 

Gregory,  Pope,  Dialogues,  4. 

Grevius,  demonstrates  iniquity  of  tor- 
ture, 41. 

Griggs,  Dr.  William,  physician  to 
Salem  Village,  154, 154  n.,  155,342  n., 
344. 

Griscom,  Andrew,  member  of  grand 
jury,  85. 

Grose,  Dictionary  of  Vulgar  Terms, 
300  n. 

Groton,  town  of,  188  n. 

Groton  in  the  Witchcraft  Times,  by  Dr. 
S.  A.  Green,  360  n. 

Guard,  Robert,  accused  of  witchcraft, 
88. 

Guide  to  Grand  Jury  Men,  by  Richard 
Bernard,  163  n.,  416,  416  n. 

Guldenklee,  Balthasar  Timaus  von, 
Casus  Medicinales,  319  n. 

Gummere,  Amelia  Mott,  Witchcraft  and 
Quakerism,  by,  81  n.,  88  n. 

Haart,  Balthazer  de,  service  as  juror, 

45. 
Hadley,  Mass.,  story  of  Philip  Smith, 

deacon  of  the  church  at,  131-134. 
Haigue,    William,    attended    Council, 

85. 


INDEX 


453 


Hale,  Rev.  John,  70  n.,  152  n.,  158, 
158  n.,  184,  206,  214  n.;  present  at 
Salem  executions,  361  n.;  changes 
views  on  witchcraft,  369-370;  credu- 
lous of  witchcraft,  397;  graduate  of 
Harvard  College,  397;  minister  at 
Beverly,  397;  witness  against  Dorcas 
Hoar  and  Bridget  Bishop,  397,  397  n.; 
biographical  sketch,  397,  398;  ca- 
reer of,  398  n.;  A.  Modest  Inquiry, 
399-432. 

Hale,  Sir  Matthew,  374 n.;  English 
witch-trial,  215  n.;  Trial  of  Witches, 
416,  416  n. 

Hall,  George,  reformation  of,  11. 

Hall,  Mary,  trial  and  release  from 
charge  of  witchcraft,  44-48. 

Hall,  Ralph,  trial  and  release  from 
charge  of  witchcraft,  44-48;  charged 
with  murder  of  George  Wood  and 
child,  46. 

Hall  case,  first  printed  in  the  National 
Advocate,  43. 

Hallett,  William,  loses  place  by  open- 
ing house  to  Baptist  preaching,  44  n.; 
service  as  juror,  44,  44  n. 

Hampden-Sidney  College,  President 
Gushing,  436. 

Handcock,  Capt.  George,  justice  of  the 
peace,  438. 

Hanson,  Danvers,  342  n.,  349  n. 

Harding,  William,  435. 

Hardy,  Thomas,  of  Portsmouth,  236, 
236  n. 

Harper,  John,  441. 

Harris,  Benjamin,  a  bookseller,  152. 

Harris,  W.  S.,  article  in  the  Granite 
Monthly  on  Robert  Calef,  292  n.- 
293  n.,  295  n. 

Harrison,  James,  attended  Council,  85. 

Harrison,  Katharine,  order  relating  to 
removal  from  West  Chester,  49-51; 
trial,  48;  given  liberty  to  remain 
in  West  Chester,  51-52;  Governor 
Colve  dismisses  case  against,  52  n. 

Harrison  papers,  43. 

Hartford,  Conn.,  witchcraft  cases,  18, 
18  n.,  19,  19  n.,  20,  20  n.,  33-34,  135, 
135  n.,  136,  385,  410,  410  n.;  Stone, 
Samuel,  teacher  in  church,  19,  19  n. ; 
Greensmith,  Nathaniel  and  Rebecca, 
execution  of,  20,  20  n.;  Desborough, 
Nicholas,  strangely  molested  at,  33- 


34;  Johnson,  Mary,  trial  of,  135, 
135  n.,  136;  woman  sentenced  to  be 
whipped,  135  n. 

Hartford,  A  Case  of  Witchcraft  in,  by 
C.  J.  Hoadly,  18  n. 

Hartford,  History  of  the  First  Church  in, 
19  n. 

Hartlib,  Samuel,  biographical  sketch, 
v  12  n. 

Harvard  College:  Mather,  Increase, 
president  of,  3,  15n.-16n.;  Mather, 
Cotton,  fellow  of,  15n.-16n.;  Brat- 
tle, Thomas,  treasurer  of,  167;  Lev- 
erett,  president  of,  167;  Burroughs, 
Rev.  George,  graduate,  215  n.;  Hale, 
Rev.  John,  graduate,  397. 

Harvard  University,  Biographical 
Sketches  of  the  Graduates  of,  Sibley, 
3  n.,  93  n.,  168  n.,  183  n.,  215  n., 
377  n.,  398  n. 

Hastings,  John,  foreman  of  petty  jury, 
86. 

Hathorn,  John,  see  Hawthorne. 

Haven,  Dr.  Samuel  F.,  librarian  of  the 
American  Antiquarian  Society,  256, 
256  n. 

Hawthorne,  John,  160,  206;  magis- 
trate at  Salem  Village,  155,  155  n., 
156,  158  n.,  160;  assistant,  344,  347, 
348,  355. 

Hawthorne,  Susanna,  187  n. 

Haynes,  Rev.  Joseph,  19,  19  n. 

Heer,  Henricus  ab,  physician  of  Co- 
logne, 266,  266  n. 

Helmont,  Jan  Baptista  van,  De  Mag- 
netica  Vulnerum  Curatione,  319n.; 
Tractatus  de  Morbis,  319  n. 

Hemming,  Nicholas,  Admonitio  de  Su- 
perstitionibus  Magicis  vitandis,  247, 
247  n. 

Hendrickson,  Jacob,  enters  into  a  re- 
cognizance for  wife's  appearance,  85, 
87. 

Hendrickson,  Yeshro  (Gertrude),  trial 
for  witchcraft,  85. 

Henly,  Ursula,  member  of  woman  jury, 
439. 

Herrick,  Henry,  juryman  at  Salem 
trials,  388. 

Herrick,  Mary,  complaint  against  Mrs. 
Hale,  369,  369  n. 

Hewes,  William,  member  of  petty  jury, 
86. 


454 


INDEX 


Hibbins,  Ann,  executed  for  witchcraft, 
410,  410  n. 

Higginson,  Rev.  John,  160,  160  n.,  206; 
minister  at  Salem,  245,  248  n.,  398; 
Epistle  regarding  witchcraft,  399- 
402. 

Hill,  Captain,  353. 

Hill,  Luke,  sues  Grace  Sherwood  for 
witchcraft,  438,  438  n,,  439  n.,  440, 
441. 

Historical  Collections,  Topsfield  Histor- 
ical Society,  151  n. 

Historical  Essay  concerning  Witchcraft, 
by  Dr.  Hutchinson,  222  n. 

Historical  Magazine,  42  n.,  57,  61  n., 
91  n.,  379  n. 

Historical  Series,  by  W.  Elliot  Wood- 
ward, 208,  295. 

Historical  Sketches  of  Andover,  by  Sarah 
Loring  Bailey,  180  n.,  420  n. 

Historical  Society,  Massachusetts,  Pro- 
ceedings, 151. 

Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania, 
Memoirs  of,  83  n. 

History  and  Antiquities  of  Boston,  151  n. 

History  of  Andover,  by  Abiel  Abbot, 
180  n. 

History  of  Delaware  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, by  Smith,  84  n.,  87  n.,  88  n. 

History  of  Massachusetts,  by  Hutchin- 
son, 151  n. 

History  of  Newbury,  by  Joshua  Coffin, 
31  n. 

History  of  the  First  Church  in  Hartford, 
by  Walker,  19  n. 

Hoadly,  C.  J.,  A  Case  of  Witchcraft  in 
Hartford,  18  n. 

Hoar,  Dorcas,  conviction  for  witch- 
craft, 366,  366  n.;  estate  seized,  371; 
Hale,  Rev.  John,  witness  against,  397, 
397  n. 

Hobbs,  Abigail,  conviction  for  witch- 
craft, 366. 

Hobbs,  Deliverance,  accuses  Bridget 
Bishop,  224;  warrant  for,  347;  at- 
tends witch  meeting,  417,  417  n.,  418. 

Hobbs,  William,  accused  of  witchcraft, 
347. 

Hobs,  Deborah,  see  Hobbs,  Deliverance. 

Holland,  conjurer  in,  137;  status  of 
witchcraft  in,  41. 

Holmes,  Thomas,  attended  Council, 
85. 


Holy  Duties  of  the  Devout  Soul,  The, 
282,  282  n. 

Hondorff,  4. 

Hooker,  Rev.  Samuel,  pastor  at  Farm- 
ington,  19,  19  n. 

Hooton,  Oliver,  merchant,  of  Barba- 
does,  69;  witness  of  stone  throwing, 
69. 

Hopkins,  Matthew,  363  n. ;  witch- 
finder,  216  n.,  423,  423  n. 

Hortado,  Antonio,  dwelling  near  the 
Salmon  Falls,  37. 

Hortado,  Mary,  narrative  told  by  Rev. 
Joshua  Moodey,  37  n.;  sundry  ap- 
paritions of  Satan,  37,  38. 

How,  Elizabeth:  Dow,  F.  G.,  records 
case  of,  237  n.;  loyalty  of  blind  hus- 
band and  daughter,  237  n. ;  denied 
admission  into  Ipswich  church,  237, 
237  n.,  238;  accusations  against, 
237-240;  trial  and  execution,  237- 
240,  357,  379;  baptized  by  Devil, 
240. 

How,  James,  240. 

How,  John,  accuses  Elizabeth  How  of 
witchcraft,  238,  239. 

Howe,  Henry,  Historical  Collections  of 
Virginia,  436. 

Howell,  Southampton,  42  n.,  44  n. 

Howell,  H.,  publisher,  208. 

Hubbard,  Elizabeth,  maid,  154,  154  n. 

Hunt,  Josiah,  48  n. 

Hunt,  Thomas,  appears  in  behalf  of 
Katharine  Harrison,  48  n.,  50;  com- 
plaint against  a  woman,  48,  48  n. 

Hussey,  John,  witness  of  stone  throw- 
ing, 69. 

Hutchinson,  Francis,  Historical  Essay 
concerning  Witchcraft,  222  n. 

Hutchinson,  Gov.  Thomas,  information 
relating  to  William  Morse,  31  n.; 
History  of  Massachusetts,  43  n.,  150- 
151,  232  n.,  241  n.,  375  n.,  410  n. 

Icarus,  302,  302  n. 

Indian,  apparition  of  Black-Man  to, 
309;  afflicted  by  witchcraft,  348, 
348  n. 

Indian  medicine-men,  42. 

Indians,  troubles  occasioned  by,  16;  at- 
tack upon  frontier  towns,  199;  cap- 
ture Mercy  Short,  259  n. ;  in  Mexico, 
245. 


INDEX 


455 


Indians  in  New  England,  A  Brief  His- 
tory of  the  War  with,  by  Increase 
Mather,  16  n. 

Indies,  Natural  and  Moral  History  of 
the,  by  Joseph  Acosta,  245  n. 

Ingersol,  Nathaniel,  deacon  of  church 
in  Salem  Village,  152,  153,  153  n. 

Institutes,  Coke,  363  n.,  374  n. 

Intellectual  System,  by  Ralph  Cud- 
worth,  246  n. 

Ipswich,  Mass. :  Powell,  Caleb,  trial  of, 
31  n.;  How,  Elizabeth,  denied  ad- 
mission to  church,  237,  237  n.,  238; 
witchcraft  case,  237-240. 

Israel,  kings  of,  429,  431. 

Jacobs,  George,  trial  and  execution,  177, 
360,  361;  accused  of  witchcraft,  371; 
wife  accused,  371. 

Jacobs,  Margaret,  confesses  to  false 
testimony,  364-366;  imprisoned  for 
witchcraft,  364  n.,  365;  acquittal  of, 
366,  366  n. 

Jacobs,  Rebecca,  indictment  extant, 
380  n. 

James  I.,  statute  of,  83,  84,  380  n. 

James,  Edward  W.,  William  and  Mary 
College  Quarterly,  435  n.,  436,  439  n. 

Jeffrey,  George,  hit  by  stone,  75. 

Jenkins,  Jane,  436. 

Jennings,  Samuel,  governor  of  West 
Jersey,  69,  69  n.;  witness  of  stone 
throwing  at  George  Walton's,  69, 
69  n. 

Job,  430. 

John  Carter  Brown  library,  93  n. 

John,  Indian  slave  of  Rev.  Samuel 
Parris,  153  n.,  351  n. 

Johnson,  Amandus,  The  Swedish  Set- 
tlements on  the  Delaware,  83  n. 

Johnson,  Elizabeth,  imprisonment, 
135  n.,  382,  382  n.;  accused  of  witch- 
craft, 420,  420  n. 

Johnson,  Mary,  Magnolia  contains 
story  of,  135  n.;  information  from 
Samuel  Stone  concerning,  135  n., 
136;  trial,  135,  135  n.,  136;  con- 
fesses witchcraft,  410,  410  n. 

Jones,  Hannah,  accused  by  George 
Walton  of  witchcraft,  60  n.,  61  n., 
73  n.,  75  n.;  not  punished,  76  n. 

Jones,  Margaret,  executed  at  Boston, 
Mass.,  408,  408  n. 


Joshua,  427. 

Josiah,  431. 

Judas  Iscariot,  430. 

Jurors,  at  Philadelphia,  85,  86;  Massa- 
chusetts act  establishing  qualifica- 
tion for,  362  n.;  testimony  from 
Fisk,  358. 

Jury,  woman,  439. 

Justification,  Treatise  of,  by  Samuel 
Willard,  113. 

Justin  Martyr,  302;  Quaestiones  et 
Responsiones  ad  Orthodoxos,  302  n. 

Juxon,  Richard,  life  of,  11. 

Keble,  Joseph,   163  n.;    Statutes,  163; 

An  Assistance  to  Justices  of  the  Peace, 

163  n.,   411,   412,   412  n.;    Common 

Law,  412,  416. 

Keith,  governor  of  Pennsylvania,  83. 
Kembal,  John,  accuses  Susanna  Martin 

of  witchcraft,  232-233,  234. 
Kendal,  Goodwife,  accused  of  witch- 
craft, 409,  410. 
Kieft,   Gov.  William,  fear  of  Indian 

medicine-men,  42. 
King,  Winifred,  385  n. 
Kingdom  of  Darkness,  by  R.  Burton, 

416,  416  n.,  425,  425  n. 
King  Philip's  war,  4. 
Kinsman,    John,    member     of    petty 

jury,  86. 
Knapp,  Elizabeth,  183,  183  n.,  187  n.; 

story  of,  21-23;  effect  of  demons  on, 

22,  23. 

Lacy,  Mary,  confesses  share  in  witch- 
craft, 244;  convicted  of  witchcraft, 
366,  367  n.;  attends  witch  meeting, 
418,  418  n.,  419,  419  n. 

Lacy,  Mary,  Jr.,  attends  witch  meet- 
ing, 419. 

Lake,  H.,  of  Dorchester,  reference  to 
wife,  408  n.,  409  n. 

Lancashire  witches,  219,  219  n. 

Lancaster,  Mass.,  361  n. 

Lane,  Francis,  testifies  against  Eliza- 
beth How,  240. 

Late  Memorable  Providences,  by  Cotton 
Mather,  92. 

Lawson,  Ann :  Burroughs,  Rev.  George, 
accused  of  afflicting  by  witchcraft, 
218. 


456 


INDEX 


Lawson,  Rev.  Deodat,  167,  214  n., 
215  n.,  413  n.;  A  Brief  and  True  Nar- 
rative of  Witchcraft  at  Salem,  Mass., 
145-164,  341  n.;  London  edition  of 
Salem  sermon,  147  n.,  149;  Moore, 
G.H., letter  from,  150, 150  n.;  sermon 
on  witchcraft,  158, 158  n.;  Christ's  Fi- 
delity the  only  Shield  against  Satan's 
Malignity,  158  n.,  159  n.;  wife  of, 
218,  218  n. 

Lawson,  Thomas,  150. 

Leisler,  Jacob,  service  as  juror,  44  n.,  45. 

Leverett,  president  of  Harvard  Col- 
lege, 167. 

Levermore,  C.  H.,  "Witchcraft  in  Con- 
necticutt,"  in  the  New  Englander, 
18  n,  52 n.,  385 n. 

Lewes,  Mercy,  maid,  154,  154  n.,  155, 
347;  accuses  witches  of  impiety,  160, 
161;  affliction  of,  344;  vision,  346. 

Libanius,  303,  303  n. 

Libraries  of  the  Mathers,  by  Julius  H. 
Tuttle,  256  n. 

Library  of  American  Biography,  261  n. 

Library  of  American  Literature,  149  n. 

Library  of  Old  Authors,  by  John  Rus- 
sell Smith,  7,  149  n.,  207. 

Lightning,  changes  needle  of  compass, 
14. 

Lince,  Denis,  member  of  grand  Jury, 
85. 

Lincoln,  Dr.  Charles  H.,  256  n. 

Lithobolia,  by  Richard  Chamberlain, 
58-77;  dedicated  to  Martin  Lumley, 
58,59. 

London  Gazette,  300  n. 

Long  Island,  witchcraft  in,  42;  given 
name  of  Yorkshire,  45  n. 

Long  Island  Witts,  Early,  44  n. 

Longfellow,  Henry  W.,  170  n. 

Lonicer,  4. 

Louder,  John,  accuses  Bridget  Bishop 
of  witchcraft,  226,  227. 

Louis  XIV.,  189  n. 

Lovelace,  Francis,  49,  51,  52. 

Lower  Norfolk  County  Virginia  Anti- 
quary, 435  n. 

Lumley,  Martin,  marries  Elizabeth 
Chamberlain,  56;  Lithobolia  dedi- 
cated to,  58,  59. 

Lunt,  W.  W.,  student  of  Calef  pedigree, 
293  n. 

Luther,  Martin,  10. 


Lynde,  Joseph,  member  of  the  Coun- 
cil, 178,  178  n. 

Magnolia,  by  Cotton  Mather,  16  n., 
24  n.,  126  n.,  134  n.,  135  n.,  208, 
259  n.,  309,  309  n.,  357  n.,  377  n., 
388  n.,  398. 

Maitland,  see  Pollock. 

Martha's  Vineyard,  309  n. 

Martin,  Abigail,  afflicted  by  witch- 
craft, 420,  420  n. 

Martin,  George,  233. 

Martin,  Susanna,  229,  229  n.,  422, 
422  n. ;  accusations  relating  to  witch- 
craft, 230-235;  strangely  afflicted, 
234;  protests  innocence,  236;  trial 
and  execution,  229-236,  357. 

Martin,  Walter,  member  of  petty  jury, 
86. 

Mary  Magdalen,  120. 

Mason,  John,  grant  of  land  in  New 
Hampshire  to,  55,  76  n. 

Mason,  Robert,  proprietorship  in  New 
Hampshire  recognized,  56,  57. 

Massachusetts:  Stoughton,  William, 
lieutenant-governor,  93  n.,  183  n., 
212  n.;  laws,  181  n.;  archives,  186  n.; 
Mather,  Increase,  agent  for  restora- 
tion of  charter,  193;  witchcraft  con- 
ditions, 196-202,  408,  408  n.;  Endi- 
cott,  John,  first  governor,  250  n.; 
Phips,  Sir  William,  arrival  with  new 
charter,  348-349. 

Massachusetts  Centinel,  88. 

Massachusetts,  Colonial  Society  of, 
Publications,  371  n.,  375  n.,  383  n. 

Massachusetts,  Final  Notes  on  Witch- 
craft in,  by  G.  H.  Moore,  202  n., 
367  n. 

Massachusetts,  Further  Notes  on  the  His- 
tory of  Witchcraft  in,  by  A.  C.  Good- 
ell,  373  n. 

Massachusetts  Historical  Society:  Ma- 
ther Papers,  18  n.;  Collections,  18  n. 
91  n.,  168,  168  n.,  366  n.,  371  n. 
376  n.,  389  n.,  398  n.;  Proceedings 
12  n.,  41  n.,  76  n.,  151,  195  n.,  202  n. 
222  n.,  262  n.,  291  n.,  292  n.,  306  n. 
307  n. 

Massachusetts,  History  of,  by  Thomas 
Hutchinson,  43  n.,  232  n.,  241  n., 
346  n.,  375  n. 

Massachusetts,  Records  of,  363  n. 


INDEX 


457 


Mather,  Rev.  Cotton,  91, 141  n.,  148  n., 
153  n.,  160  n.,  177,  177  n.,  206,  211, 
219  n.,222  n.,  241  n.,  245-250,  261  n., 
267  n.,  270  n.,  272  n.,  273,  273  n., 
276,  276  n.,  280,  280  n.,  282,  282  n., 
284,  284  n.,  293  n.,  316  n.,  348  n., 
389  n.,  397  n. ;  fellow  of  Harvard  Col- 
lege, 15  n.-16  n.;  Memorable  Prov- 
idences, 15  n.,  92,  93-126,  205,  320  n., 
410  n.,  413,  414,  416;  The  Wonders 
of  the  Invisible  World,  15  n.,  149  n., 
150  n.,  196  n.,  204,  205-208,  209- 
251,  255,  293,  295,  297,  297  n.,  304, 
330  n.,  357,  370,  377,  377  n.,  378, 
378  n.,  414,  416,  422,  423;  Magnolia, 
16  n.,  24  n.,  126  n.,  134  n.,  135  n., 
208,  259  n.,309,  309  n.,357  n.,  377  n., 
388  n.,  398;  tale  of  the  bedstaff 
in  the  Magnolia,  24  n. ;  grandson 
of  John  Cotton,  91;  biographical 
sketch,  91,  92;  Memorable  Provi- 
dences, 92;  dedicatory  epistle  to 
Wait  Winthrop,  93,  94,  95;  Speedy 
Repentance  Urged,  93  n. ;  address 
on  witchcraft,  95,  96,  97;  reflections 
on  Memorable  Providences,  98;  de- 
scribes effect  of  witchcraft  on  John 
Goodwin's  children,  99-126;  wife  of, 
117;  prayers  for  Goodwin  children 
and  Capt.  Alden,  129,  355  n.;  life  of 
Phips,  188  n.,  388  n.,  389;  "return" 
of  witch-cases,  194,  194  n.;  causes  of 
Gov.  Phips's  changingattitude,  195  n . ; 
Enchantments  Encountered,  205;  cor- 
respondence, 212,  213,  307,  329-341; 
replies  to  Boston  ministers,  214,  214 
n.;  refers  to  execution  of  Rev.  George 
Burroughs,  215  n.,  222  n.;  "Curiosi- 
ties," 245-250;  granddaughter,  255, 
255  n.,  256  n.;  A  Brand  pluck' d 
out  of  the  Burning,  259-287;  visits 
Mercy  Short,  260,  260  n.;  reference 
in  diary  to  Calef's  book,  293-294; 
Some  Few  Remarks,  293  n.,  294, 
348  n.;  Diary,  294  n.,  323  n.,  385  n.; 
visit  to  Salem,  323n.-324n.;  pres- 
ent at  Salem  executions,  361,  361  n.; 
Calef's  opinion,  388,  388  n. 

Mather,  Rev.  Increase,  137  n.,  167, 
180,  180  n.,  183  n.,  304  n.,  357  n., 
362,  362  n.,  376  n.,  388  n.;  choice  of 
career,  3;  minister  of  North  Church 
in  Boston,  3;  preacher  in  England, 


3;  student  at  Dublin,  3;  instigator 
of  "reforming  synod,"  3-4;  method 
of  arousing  men  to  religion,  3-4; 
biographical  sketch,  3-7;  president 
of  Harvard  College,  3,  15n.-16n.; 
marshals  hosts  of  New  England  or- 
thodoxy, 6;  Essay  for  the  Recording  of 
Illustrious  Providences,  6,  6  n.,  8-38, 
65  n.,  113,  303,  398,  410n.;  Remark- 
able Providences  illustrative  of  the 
Earlier  Days  of  American  Colonisa- 
tion, 6-7;  A  Brief  History  of  the  War 
with  the  Indians  in  New-England, 
16  n.;  A  Relation  of  the  Troubles  which 
have  hapned  in  New-England,  16n.; 
condemns  "water  test,"  21  n.;  of 
Cotton  Mather,  91;  Mather  Papers, 
97  n.;  Mystery  of  Christ,  113;  Cases 
of  Conscience,  149,  194  n.,  304  n., 
357  n.,  377  n.,  383  n.,  389;  condemns 
proceedings  against  witchcraft,  184; 
agent  for  restoration  of  Massachu- 
setts charter,  193;  visits  so-called 
confessors  at  Salem,  376  n. 

Mather,  Samuel,  papers  in  American 
Antiquarian  Society,  256  n. 

Mather  Library,  256  n. 

Mather  Papers,  18  n.,  31  n.,  37  n.,  62  n., 
65  n.,  97  n.,  194  n.;  experiences  of 
Nicholas  Desborough  in,  34  n.;  gift 
from  Hannah  Mather  Crocker,  256  n. 

Mathers,  Libraries  of  the,  by  Julius  H. 
Tuttle,  256  n. 

Matteson,  David  M.,  163  n. 

Mattson,  Margaret,  trial  for  witchcraft, 
85, 86;  jury  finds  not  guilty  of  witch- 
craft, 87,  87  n. 

Mattson,  Neels,  recognizance  of  fifty 
pounds  for  wife,  85,  87,  87  n. 

Maule,  Thomas,  merchant  of  Salem, 
New  England,  69,  70  n.;  witness  of 
stone  throwing  in  house  of  George 
Walton,  69,  70  n. 

Mayflower,  John  Alden,  of  the,  170  n. 

Memoirs  of  the  Historical  Society  of 
Pennsylvania,  83  n. 

Memorable  Providences,  by  Cotton 
Mather,  15  n.,  92, 93-126, 205, 320  n., 
410  n.,  413,  414,  416. 

Memorial  History  of  Boston,  W.  F.  Poole 
in  the,  256,  256  n.,  389  n. 

Mercury,  303. 

Merrimack  River,  231. 


458 


INDEX 


Mexico,  reflection  on  Indians  in,  245; 
Vitzlipulzli,  idol  of  Indiana,  245. 

Middle  Ages,  tales  of  vision  and  appari- 
tion, 4. 

Milborne,  William,  called  before  the 
Council,  196  n.-197  n. 

Milk  for  Babes,  by  John  Cotton,  113. 

Mill,  Anthonio  de,  service  as  juror,  45. 

Millard,  Thomas,  member  of  grand 
jury,  86. 

Miller,  Rev.  John,  comments  by,  195  n. 

Milton,  Mass.,  Rev.  Peter  Thacher, 
minister  at,  109  n. 

Ministers,  convocation  for  guidance  in 
matters  of  witchcraft,  200  n. 

Mirrour  .  .  .  of  Examples,  by  Samuel 
Clarke,  10  n. 

Miscellanea  Curiosa,  286,  286  n. 

Modest  Inquiry,  A,  by  Rev.  John  Hale, 
397-132. 

Mohra,  case  of  witchcraft  at,  196  n. 

Moll,  Hermann,  Atlas,  195  n. 

Mompesson,  Mr.,  demons  disturb 
house,  32  n.;  story  of,  32-33. 

Moodey,  Rev.  Joshua,  187  n.,  188  n., 
329  n.,  362,  362  n. ;  minister  at  Ports- 
mouth, 31  n.,  65 n.;  relates  narrative 
of  Mary  Hortado,  37  n.;  associate 
minister  of  First  Church,  Boston,  97, 
97  n.,  118. 

Moore,  George  H.,  186  n.,  194  n.,  210  n.; 
Notes  on  the  Bibliography  of  Witch- 
craft in  Massachusetts,  91  n.,  148  n., 
197  n.,  207 n.,  215  n.,  385|n.;  letter 
from  Deodat  Lawson  published  by, 
150,  150  n.;  Final  Notes  on  Witch- 
craft in  Massachusetts,  197  n.,  202  n., 
367  n.,  373  n. 

More,  Henry,  98,  98  n.;  leader  of  the 
Cambridge  Platonists,  5;  publishes 
Glanvil's  book  on  Sadducism,  6,  6  n. 

More  Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World, 
by  Robert  Calef,  124  n.,  207,  208, 
289-393,  294  n. 

Morgan,  F.,  Connecticut  as  a  Colony 
and  as  a  State,  18  n. 

Morse,  William,  house  haunted  by  de- 
mons, 23-32;  Governor  Hutchin- 
son's  account  of,  31  n. ;  John  Stiles, 
grandson,  31  n.;  wife  tried  for  witch- 
craft, 31  n. 

Morton,  Charles,  minister  at  Charles- 
town,  97,  97  n. 


Moseley,  Col.  Edward,  justice  of  the 

peace,  438,  441,  442. 
Mosse,    Thomas,    member   of    grand 

jury,  85. 

Mullener,  Thomas,  239  n. 
Munro,  Alexander,  service  as  juror  45. 
Murray,  Edward,  attended  Council.  88. 
Mystery  of  Christ,  by  Increase  Mather, 

113. 

Nashaway,  see  Lancaster,  Mass. 

Nation,  207  n. 

National  Advocate,  43. 

Natural  and  Moral  History  of  the  Indies, 
by  Joseph  Acosta,  245  n. 

Neelson,  Anthony,  recognizance  of 
fifty  pounds  for  Margaret  Mattson, 
87,  87  n. 

Nehemiah,  431. 

Nevins,  W.  S.,  Witchcraft  in  Salem  Vil- 
lage, 153  n. 

New  Amsterdam,  becomes  New  York, 
45  n. 

New  Amsterdam,  Records  of,  19  n. 

New  England,  137  n.,  179,  179  n.;  "re- 
forming synod"  to  cure  evils,  3-4; 
method  of  arousing  men  to  religion, 
4;  Puritanism,  5;  Mather  marshals 
hosts  of  orthodoxy,  6;  Indians,  16, 
16  n. ;  influence  on  other  colonies,  42 ; 
Calef s  description  of  witchcraft  in, 
297-299;  Andros  government  over- 
thrown, 348  n. 

New-England,  A  Brief  History  of  the 
War  with  the  Indians  in,  by  Increase 
Mather,  16  n. 

New-England,  A  Relation  of  the  Troubles 
which  have  hapned  in,  by  Increase 
Mather,  16  n. 

New  England,  The  Witchcraft  Delusion 
in,  ed.  by  S.  G.  Drake,  151  n.,  208, 
343  n. 

New  England  Historical  and  Genealog- 
ical Register,  35  n.,  48  n.,  58  n., 
160  n.,  186  n.,  197  n.,  232  n.,  242  n., 
291  n.,  292  n.,  295  n.,  365  n.,  375  n., 
384  n.,  385  n.,  409  n.,  410  n.,  423  n. 

New  England  Judged,  Bishop,  35  n., 
43  n.,  44  n. 

New  England  Magazine,  18  n.,  153  n. 

New  England  Witches,  Further  Account 
of  the  Trials  of,  148,  149  n. 

New  Englander,  18  n.,  52  n.,  385  n. 


INDEX 


459 


New  France  and  New  England,  by  John 
Fiske,  153  n. 

New  Hampshire:  Chamberlain,  Rich- 
ard, secretary  of  the  province,  35  n., 
55-57;  Mason,  John,  grant  of  land 
to,  55,  76  n.;  Mason,  Robert,  rec- 
ognition of  proprietorship,  56,  57; 
Cranfield,  Edward,  first  royal  gov- 
ernor, 60;  Barefoot,  Walter,  dep- 
uty collector  for  the  province,  67, 
67  n.,  72. 

New  Hampshire,  Documents  and  Rec- 
ords relating  to  the  Province  of,  61  n. 

New  Hampshire  Historical  Society, 
Provincial  Records  in  Collections, 
61  n.,  62  n.,  76  n.;  Vaughn's  Jour- 
nal in  Collections,  76  n. 

New  Hampshire,  Probate  Records  of  the 
Province  of,  35  n.,  61  n. 

New  Hampshire  Provincial  Papers,  76  n. 

New  Haven  colony,  Theophilus  Eaton, 
governor  of,  140,  140  n. 

New  Haven,  Records  of  the  Colony  of, 
239  n.,  410  n. 

New  Netherlands,  witchcraft  in,  41. 

New  York,  Documentary  History  of, 
O'Callaghan,  43. 

New  York,  Documents  relating  to  the 
Colonial  History  of,  19  n. 

New  York  Genealogical  and  Biograph- 
ical Record,  19  n.,  43  n.,  48  n. 

New  York  Historical  Society,  Collec- 
tions, 195  n. 

New  York,  History  of,  Smith,  43. 

New  York  in  the  Seventeenth  Century, 
History  of  the  City  of,  42  n. 

NewYork,  Minutes  of  the  Executive  Coun- 
cil of,  by  Paltsits,  43,  48  n.,  52  n. 

New  York  Public  Library,  151  n., 
410  n.;  List  of  Books  relating  to 
Witchcraft  in  the  United  States,  207  n. 

New  York,  witchcraft  in,  42. 

Newbury,  History  of,  by  Joshua  Coffin, 
31  n. 

Newbury,  Mass.,  strange  happenings  in 
house  of  William  Morse  at,  23-32. 

Nicolls,  Gov.  Richard,  aids  Court  of 
Assizes  to  draw  code  of  laws,  43  n.; 
serves  as  juror,  44  n.,  45. 

Niles's  Weekly  Register,  43. 

Noble,  John,  paper  by,  375  n. 

Nonconformists  Memorial,  The,  Palm- 
er's revision  of,  150  n. 


Norris,  Sarah,  member  of  woman  jury, 
439. 

North  American  Review,  91  n. 

Notes  on  the  Bibliography  of  Witchcraft 
in  Massachusetts,  by  George  H. 
Moore,  91  n.,  148  n.,  197  n.,  207  n., 
215  n. 

Notestein,  Witchcraft  in  England, 216  n., 
363  n. 

Nottingham,  Earl  of,  letter  to,  202  n. 

Noyes,  Rev.  Nicholas,  minister  at 
Salem,  141  n.,  155, 155  n.,  172, 172  n., 
184,  206,  214  n.,  359  n.;  present  at 
executions,  361  n. ;  credulous  of 
witchcraft,  369,  397. 

Nurse,  Francis,  farmer,  153  n. 

Nurse,  Rebecca,  wife  of  Francis  Nurse, 
153,  153  n.,  347  n.,  367;  accusations, 
155,  156,  157,  344-345;  trial  and 
execution,  157-159,  357-360;  rea- 
sons of  Thomas  Fisk  for  convic- 
tion, 358-359 ;  excommunication,  359, 
359  n.;  testimonials  of  Christian  be- 
havior, 360,  360  n. 

Oakes,  Dr.  Thomas,  attends  Goodwin 
children  afflicted  by  witchcraft,  101, 
101  n. 

Obinson,  Mrs.  William,  imprisoned  for 
witchcraft,  179,  179  n.,  180. 

Obinson,  William,  179  n. 

Observations  on  our  Present  Debates  re- 
specting witchcrafts,  187  n. 

O'Callaghan,  Documentary  History  of 
New  York,  43. 

Offor,  George,  7. 

Old  South  Church,  see  Boston,  Mass. 

Orne,  Richard,  member  of  grand  jury, 
85. 

Osborn,  Sarah,  414,  414  n.;  imprison- 
ment, 159  n.;  chains  for,  349  n. 

Osgood,  Capt.,  imprisonment  of  wife, 
180. 

Osgood,  Mary,  account  of  confession, 
374-375,  375  n. 

Owen,  Griffith,  attended  Council,  88. 

Oxford  Jests,  The,  112. 

Oxfordshire,  Natural  History  of,  by 
Robert  Plot,  266,  266  n. 

Oyer  and  Terminer,  Court  of,  186  n., 
199,  200  n.,  201,  212,  229,  237,  241, 
355,  387  n.;  members,  355,  355  n.; 
close  of,  373,  373  n. 


460 


INDEX 


Paine,  R.  D.,  Ships  and  Sailors  of  Old 
Salem,  188  n.,  371  n. 

Paisley,  Scotland,  witch  cases  at,  300  n. 

Palmer,  Calendar  of  Virginia  State 
Papers,  439. 

Paltsits,  Victor  Hugo,  Minutes  of  the 
Executive  Council  of  New  York,  43. 

Panton,  Capt.  Richard,  48, 48  n.,  49,  50. 

Parker,  Alice,  convicted  of  witchcraft, 
366,  367. 

Parker,  Mary,  convicted  of  witchcraft, 
366. 

Parris,  Elizabeth,  153  n.,  155,  160  n.; 
affliction  of,  160,  160  n.,  344. 

Parris,  Rev.  Samuel,  184,  374;  en- 
gaged in  West  Indian  trade,  at  Bar- 
bados, 153  n. ;  minister  at  Salem 
Village,  153,  153  n.,  160  n.,  161,  341; 
grant  of  land  to,  341;  invitation  to 
ministers  to  pray  for  afflicted,  342; 
credulous  of  witchcraft,  397;  fam- 
ily afflicted,  413,  414. 

Parsons,  Hugh,  410  n. 

Parsons,  John,  member  of  grand  jury,86. 

Parsons,  Mary,  409  n.,  410,  410  n. 

Paul  the  Apostle,  431. 

Peache,  Bernard,  accuses  Susanna  Mar- 
tin of  witchcraft,  231,  232. 

Pearly,  John,  trouble  with  Elizabeth 
How,  240. 

Pebody,  John,  juryman  at  Salem  trials, 
388. 

Penn,  William,  charter  for  colony  con- 
tains no  reference  to  witchcraft,  82, 
83;  colony  on  the  Delaware,  82,  83; 
attended  Councils  at  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  85,  88. 

Pennsylvania,  Governor  Keith  of,  83. 

Pennsylvania,  Memoirs  of  the  Historical 
Society  of,  83  n.;  Minutes  of  the  Pro- 
vincial Council  of,  84  n.,  88  n. 

Perfect  Discovery  of  Witches,  A,  by 
Thomas  Ady,  222,  222  n. 

Perkins,  John,  366  n. 

Perkins,  Rev.  William,  239  n.;  rules 
for  detection  of  witches,  205;  Dis- 
course of  the  Damned  Art  of  Witch- 
craft, 304  n. ;  recommends  torture  in 
cases  of  witchcraft,  363  n. 

Perkins,  Thomas,  juryman  at  Salem 
trials,  388. 

Perley,  Timothy,  Elizabeth  How  af- 
flicts daughter  of,  240. 


Perly,  Thomas,  Sr.,  juryman  at  Salem 
trials,  388. 

Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Councils  at,  85, 85  n., 
88. 

Phillips,  John,  of  Dorchester,  409  n. 

Phillyps,  Thomas,  member  of  grand 
jury,  85. 

Phips,  Lady,  accused  of  witchcraft, 
201  n.,  377  n. 

Phips,  Sir  William,  governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts, 167,  209  n.,  210  n.,  280, 
280  n.,  339  n.,  377,  377  n.,  379  n., 
382  n.,  384,  384  n.,  391;  appoint- 
ment as  high  sheriff  of  New  En- 
gland, 193;  head  of  expeditions 
against  Nova  Scotia  and  Quebec,  193; 
knighthood  of,  193;  supports  Increase 
Mather  against  other  New  England 
commissioners,  193;  fitness  for 
governorship,  193-194;  biographical 
sketch,  193,  195;  causes  of  changing 
attitude,  195  n.;  correspondence, 
196-202;  stops  printing  of  discourses, 
197;  stops  proceedings  against  witches 
in  New  England,  197-198,  201,  201 
n.,  328  n.;  shows  that  innocent  are 
wrongly  accused,  197,  199;  ap- 
points a  commission  to  try  sus- 
pected witches,  199;  releases  persons 
charged  with  witchcraft,  200,  422; 
arrival  with  new  charter,  348-349; 
orders  irons  put  on  those  in  prison, 
349. 

Phips,  Life  of,  by  Cotton  Mather, 
188  n.,  388  n.,  389. 

Pierson,  Rev.  Abraham,  minister  at 
Branford,  Connecticut,  139,  139  n. 

Piles,  Robert,  member  of  petty  jury,  86. 

Piscataqua,  home  of  George  Walton  on 
island  in,  35  n.;  boat  of  George  Wal- 
ton on,  67,  68. 

Platonists,  group  at  Cambridge,  5; 
Henry  More  leader  of,  5. 

Pleas  of  the  Crown,  374  n. 

Plot,  Robert,  Natural  History  of  Ox- 
fordshire, 266,  266  n. ;  secretary  to 
Royal  Society,  266  n. 

Pollock  and  Maitland,  History  of  En- 
glish Law,  367  n. 

Poole,  Matthew,  4;  biographical  sketch, 
8  n.,  9  n.;  design  for  recording  of 
illustrious  Providences,  8;  Synopsis 
Criticorum,  8,  9  n. 


INDEX 


461 


Poole,  W.  F.,  188  n.,  232  n.,  242  n.; 
in  New  England  Hist,  and  Geneal. 
Register,  31  n.,  409  n.;  Cotton  Mather 
and  Salem  Witchcraft,  91,  91  n.; 
"Witchcraft  at  Boston,"  in  Memo- 
rial History  of  Boston,  91  n.,  256, 
256  n.,  292  n.,  295  n.,  307  n.,  389, 
408  n.,  410  n. ;  student  of  the  witch- 
craft problem,  257,  258. 

Pope,  Mrs.,  154,  154  n.,  155,  345;  af- 
fliction of,  344. 

Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  Rev.  Joshua 
Moodey,  minister  at,  31  n.,  65  n. 

Post,  Mary,  suspected  of  witchcraft, 
382,  382  n. 

Potts,  Thomas,  Discoverie  of  Witches, 
163  n.,  219  n. 

Powell,  Caleb,  seaman,  indicted  for 
witchcraft,  31  n. 

Prescot,  Doctor,  242. 

President  White  Library,  Cornell  Uni- 
versity, 160  n. 

Pressy,  John,  testifies  against  Susanna 
Martin,  235. 

Probate  Records  of  the  Province  of  New 
Hampshire,  35  n.,  61  n. 

Proclamation  for  day  of  prayer,  385, 386. 

Procter,  Elizabeth,  trial  of,  360. 

Procter,  John,  trial  and  execution,  177, 
177  n.,  360,  361-364;  committed  with 
wife  for  witchcraft,  34,  347;  prayers 
denied  for,  361-362;  letter  requesting 
change  of  magistrates,  362-364. 

Providences,  by  j  Cotton  Mather,  see 
Memorable  Providences',  by  Increase 
Mather,  see  Essay  for  the  Recording, 
etc. 

Providences,  illustrious,  design  for  re- 
cording, 8,  12-13,  18;  at  Ports- 
mouth, N.  H.,  34. 

Provincial  Records,  in  New  Hampshire 
Historical  Society,  Collections,  61  n., 
62  n.,  76  n. 

Pudeater,  Ann,  conviction  for  witch- 
craft, 366,  366  n.,  367. 

Puritanism,  3,  4,  5,  6. 

Puritans,  Perkins's  book  on  witchcraft 
authority  of  the,  304. 

Pusey,  Caleb,  attended  Council,  Phil- 
adelphia, Pa.,  88. 

Putnam,  Ann,  250,  250  n.,  345,  347, 
350  n.;  affliction  of,  154,  154  n.,  155, 
158,  344. 


Putnam,  John,  370  n. 

Putnam,  Nathaniel,  347. 

Putnam,  Thomas,  160,  250  n.;  demons 
afflict  wife  of,  154  n.,  155,  156-158, 
159,  345;  letter  to  Judge  Samuel 
Sewall,  250;  complaint  of,  347. 

Quaestiones  et  Responsiones  ad  Ortho- 

doxos,  by  Justin  Martyr,  302  n. 
Quakerism,  Mary  Wright  punished  for, 

43  n.;   Richard  Smith  punished  for, 

44  n. 

Quakerism,  see  Witchcraft  and  Quaker- 
ism. 

Quinby,  John,  witness  in  witchcraft 
case,  50. 

Rambo,  Gunner,  member  of  grand 
jury,  86. 

Randolph,  Edward,  56,  72,  72  n.,  76  n. 

Records  of  New  Amsterdam,  19  n. 

Records  of  Salem  Witchcraft,  by  W.  E. 
Woodward,  31  n.,  380  n. 

Records  of  the  Court  of  Assistants,  31  n. 

Redd,  or  Reed,  Wilmot,  convicted  of 
witchcraft,  366,  367,  367  n. 

Reformation,  4. 

"Reforming  synod,"  Increase  Mather 
author  of  the  convening  of,  3-4. 

Remarkable  Providences  illustrative  of 
the  Earlier  Days  of  American  Coloni- 
sation, by  Increase  Mather,  6-7;  see 
also  Essay  for  the  Recording,  etc. 

Remy,  Nicolas,  Damonolatreia,  424, 
424  n. 

Rhode  Island,  351  n.,  352. 

Rice,  Sarah,  accused  of  witchcraft,  354. 

Richards,  Ann,  accuses  Robert  Guard 
of  witchcraft,  88. 

Richards,  Major  John,  185  n.;  accusea 
Robert  Guard  of  witchcraft,  88; 
letter  from  Cotton  Mather,  194  n.; 
member  of  Court  of  Oyer  and  Ter- 
miner,  185  n.,  355;  judge  of  Superior 
Court,  382,  383. 

Richason,  John,  justice  of  the  peace, 
438,  441,  442. 

Ring,  Jervis,  testifies  against  Susanna 
Martin,  235. 

Ring,  Joseph,  demons  trouble,  235,  236. 

Rogers,  Ann,  husband  and  child  vic- 
tims of  witchcraft,  46,  47. 

Rogger,  John,  testifies  against  Martha 
Carrier,  243. 


462 


INDEX 


Roman  church,  304  n. 

Rotterdam,  137. 

Roxbury,  The  Town  of,  295  n. 

Royal  Society,  Thomas  Brattle,  mem- 
ber of,  167;  Robert  Plot,  secretary 
to,  266  n. 

Rule,  Margaret,  255,  258,  258  n.,  287, 
384  n.;  account  of  the  afflictions  of, 
296,  306  n.,  307  n.,  308-341;  besieged 
by  spectres,  311-313,  314-315; 
prayers  for  deliverance,  316-317; 
questions  asked  of,  325-327;  testi- 
mony relative  to  case  of,  337-338. 

Sadducism,  A  Blow  at  Modern,  by  Jo- 
seph Glanvill,  5. 

Saducismus  Triumphatus,  by  Joseph 
Glanvill,  6,  6  n.,  405  n. 

Safford,  Joseph,  deposition  of,  238;  wife 
testifies  against  Elizabeth  How,  238. 

Salem,  Mass.,  141  n.,  152,  152  n.,  171, 
172, 179, 187;  Emerson,  John,  school- 
master of,  37  n. ;  Maule,  Thomas, 
merchant  of,  69,  70  n.;  witches'  testi- 
mony, 81  n.;  Winthrop,  Wait,  mem- 
ber of  court  at  trials,  93,  93  n.;  cases 
of  witchcraft,  145-164,  174-176, 
186  n.,  196,  215-244,  341-383,  386- 
387;  Essex  Institute  at,  151 ;  Sewall, 
Samuel,  judge  in  trials  at,  160  n.; 
Sewall,  Stephen,  clerk  of  the  courts, 
160,  160 n.;  Gedney,  Bartholomew, 
a  justice  at  trials,  170,  170  n.,  185; 
justices,  170,  171,  173,  174  n.,  185; 
witchcraft  the  rock  on  which  the- 
ocracy shattered,  197  n. ;  meeting- 
house, 229;  Higginson,  Rev.  John, 
minister  at,  245,  248  n.,  398;  Mather, 
Cotton,  preaches  at,  323n.-324n.; 
ministers  excommunicate  Rebecca 
Nurse,  359, 359]n.;  methods  to  extort 
confession,  363,  363  n.;  jurymen,  386, 
386  n.,  387,  388. 

Salem  Village,  152,  152  n.-153  n.,  180; 
Lawson,  Rev.  Deodat,  pastor  at, 
147;  cases  of  witchcraft,  147-148, 
152-164,  341-367,  372;  Ingersol, 
Nathaniel,  deacon  of  church  in,  152, 
153,  153  n. ;  Parris,  Rev.  Samuel, 
minister  at,  153,  153  n.;  Griggs, 
Doctor,  physician  to,  154,  154  n., 
155;  Hawthorne,  John,  magistrate 
at,  155,  155  n. 


Salem  Witchcraft,  by  C.  W.  Upham, 
91,  91  n.,  149  n.,  151,  151  n.,  153  n., 
207,  215  n.,  237  n.,  295,  342"n.,  347  n., 
359,  360  n.,  366  n. 

Salem  Witchcraft  and  Cotton  Mather,  by 
C.  W.  Upham,  91,  91  n.,  188  n., 
194  n.,  222  n.,  379  n. 

Salem  Witchcraft,  Records  of,  by  W.  El- 
liot Woodward,  31  n.,  151,  151  n., 
155,  222  n.,  229  n.,  241  n.,  343  n., 
346  n.,  349  n.,  356  n.,  357  n.,  360  n., 
363  n.,  366  n.,  367  n.,  371  n.,  380  n., 
417  n.,  419  n.,  421  n. 

Salem  Witchcraft,  Remainder  of  the  Ac- 
count of  the,  by  Dr.  Belknap,  376  n. 

Salisbury,  Mass.,  witchcraft  cases, 
185  n.,  230,  231,  366,  366  n. 

Salmon  Falls,  N.  H.,  259  n.;  dwelling 
of  Antonio  Hortado  near,  37. 

Saltonstall,  Major  N.,  condemns  pro- 
ceedings against  witchcraft,  184; 
member  of  Court  of  Oyer  and  Ter- 
miner,  185  n.,  355,  355  n. 

Sargent,  William,  member  of  Court  of 
Oyer  andTerminer,  185  n.,  186  n.,  355. 

Satan,  form  of  appearance,  20;  Mary 
Hortado  troubled  by,  37,  38;  appari- 
tions of,  138-140. 

Satan's  Invisible  World  Discovered, 
George  Sinclar,  6,  6  n. 

Saul,  King  of  Israel,  431. 

Saunderling,  James,  accuses  Margaret 
Mattson  of  witchcraft,  86. 

Sayer,  Samuel,  juryman  at  Salem 
trials,  388. 

Scot,  Reginald,  protests  against  witch- 
craft, 41. 

Scotland,  Domestic  Annals  of,  by  Rob- 
ert Chambers,  300  n. 

Scotland,  witchcraft  in,  300,  300  n. 

Scott,  Margaret,  convicted  of  witch- 
craft, 366,  367. 

Scripture  witchcrafts,  222  n. 

Scylla  and  Charybdis,  404  n. 

Seager,  Goodwife,  20  n. 

Searle,  Thomas,  service  as  juror,  45. 

Seatalcott,  see  Brookhaven. 

Select  Cases  of  Conscience  touching 
Witches  and  Witchcrafts,  by  John 
Gaule,  216  n.,  219,  219  n.,  221. 

Seneca,  249,  249  n. 

Sergeant,  Sarah,  member  of  woman 
jury,  439. 


INDEX 


463 


Sergeant,  William,  see  Sargent. 

Setauket,  see  Brookhaven. 

Sewall,  Judge  Samuel,  147,  185,  195  n., 
241  n.,  378,  397,  398;  member  of 
Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  160  n., 
185  n.,  186  n.,  355;  Diary,  186  n., 
200  n.,  260  n.,  352  n.,  355  n.,  361  n., 
366 n.,  385 n.;  letter  from  Thomas 
Putnam,  250;  reads  sermon  for  John 
Alden,  355 n.;  member  of  Superior 
Court,  382,  383;  fears  error  in  Salem 
trials,  386,  386  n.,  387;  requests 
prayers  of  congregation,  387  n. 

Sewall,  Stephen,  clerk  of  the  court  at 
Salem,  160,  160  n.,  206. 

Sewel,  William,  translator  of  The 
Doctrine  of  Devils  proved  to  be  the 
Grand  Apostacy  of  these  Later  Times, 
82  n. 

Shattock,  Thomas,  accuses  Bridget 
Bishop  of  witchcraft,  225,  226;  child 
bewitched,  380  n. 

Sheafe,  Jacob,  177  n. 

Sheldon,  Susanna,  testifies  against 
Martha  Carrier,  244. 

Sherwin,  Goodwife,  testifies  against 
Elizabeth  How,  239. 

Sherwood,  Grace,  437  n.;  The  Virginia 
Case  of,  433-442;  accused  of  witch- 
craft, 436;  wife  of  James  Sherwood, 
436;  accuses  Luke  Hill  of  assault, 
438  n.;  complained  of  by  Luke  Hill, 
438,  439  n.,  440,  441;  searched  by 
jury  of  women,  439  n.,  440,  441 ;  pros- 
ecuted by  Maximilian  Boush,  440; 
committed  for  witchcraft,  442, 
442  n. ;  last  will  and  testament,  442  n. 

Sherwood,  James,  436. 

Shippen,  Edward,  attended  Council, 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  88. 

Ships  and  Sailors  of  Old  Salem,  by  R.  D. 
Paine,  188  n.,  371  n. 

Short,  Mercy,  255,  256,  257,  258, 
258  n.,  287  n.,  316,  384  n.;  captured 
by  Indians,  259;  case  of,  259-287; 
affliction  from  witchcraft,  259,  260, 
260  n.,  261,  307  n.,  310;  visited  by 
Cotton  Mather,  260,  260 n.;  demons 
persecute,  261-268,  269,  270,  271, 
272,  275,  278,  279,  280,  282;  demons 
cease  to  trouble,  277,  278,  285,  286; 
apparition  of  a  good  spirit  to,  283, 
284. 


Sibley,  Biographical  Sketches  of  the 
Graduates  of  Harvard  University,  3  n., 
168  n.,  183  n.,  215  n.,  377  n.,  398  n. 

Sibly,  Mary,  342  n. 

Sims,  Mr.,  present  at  Salem  executions, 
361  n. 

Sinclar,  George,  Satan's  Invisible  World 
Discovered,  6,  6  n. 

Smith,  George,  History  of  Delaware 
County,  Pennsylvania,  84  n.,  87  n., 
88  n. 

Smith,  J.,  publisher,  208. 

Smith,  John  Russell,  Library  of  Old 
Authors,  7,  149  n.,  207. 

Smith,  Philip,  deacon  of  the  church  at 
Hadley,  131-134;  effect  of  witchcraft 
on,  132;  Magnolia  contains  story 
of,  134  n. 

Smith,  Rebecca,  long  fast  of,  266. 

Smith,  Richard,  punished  for  Quaker- 
ism, 44  n. 

Smith,  William,  justice  of  the  peace, 
438,  441. 

Smith,  William,  History  of  New  York  ,43. 

Socrates,  303. 

Solomon,  King  of  Israel,  431. 

Some  Few  Remarks,  by  Cotton  Mather, 
293  n.,  294,  348  n. 

Some  Miscellany  Observations,  187  n. 

Southampton,  adoption  of  law  of  Moses 
as  codified  by  Rev.  John  Cotton,  42; 
death  penalty  for  witchcraft,  42. 

Southampton,  by  Howell,  42  n.,  44  n. 

Southampton,  Town  of,  The  First  Book 
of  Records  of  the,  42  n. 

Speedy  Repentance  Urged,  by  Cotton 
Mather,  93  n. 

Sprague,  Martha,  afflicted  by  witch- 
craft, 420,  420  n. 

Sprat,  Major  Henry,  justice  of  the 
peace,  438. 

Stacy,  William,  testifies  against  Brid- 
get Bishop,  227,  228. 

Stephens,  Lieutenant,  373. 

Stevens,  180,  180  n. 

Stickney,  Matthew  A.,  291  n.,  292  n. 

Stiles,  John,  grandson  of  William 
Merse,  31  n. 

Stone,  Rev.  Samuel,  teacher  of  the 
Church  in  Hartford,  19,  19  n.;  in- 
formation concerning  Mary  John- 
son, 135  n.,  136. 

Stone-throwing  Devil,  see  Lithobolia. 


464 


INDEX 


Stone  throwing  in  house  of  George 
Walton,  62-68,  70,  71,  72,  73,  74. 

Stories  of  Salem  Witchcraft,  153  n. 

Story, vThomas,  attended  Council,  Phil- 
adelphia, Pa.,  88. 

Stoughton,  William,  lieutenant-gov- 
ernor of  Massachusetts,  183  n.,  194, 
194  n.,  206, 210  n.,  212  n.,  353,  353  n., 
378,  379  n.;  chief  justice  in  witch 
cases,  185  n.,  194,  355,  382  n.,  383; 
nominee  of  Mather's,  194  n. ;  letter 
to  Cotton  Mather,  212,  213. 

Stratford,  witchcraft  in,  408,  408  n. 

Stuyvesant,  Peter,  governor  of  New 
Netherland,  18  n. ;  intercession  for 
Judith  Varlet,  42;  prescribes  appeal 
to  Governor  and  Council  in  cases  re- 
lating to  witchcraft,  42. 

Suffolk  justices,  185. 

Superior  Court,  creation  of,  200  n.;  pro- 
ceedings of  200,  200  n.-201. 

Swan,  Timothy,  suffers  by  witchcraft, 
423,  423  n. 

Sweden,  witchcraft  in,  316. 

Swedish  colony  on  the  Delaware,  83. 

Swedish  Settlements  on  the  Delaware, 
The,  by  Amandus  Johnson,  83  n. 

Symcock,  John,  attended  Council,  85, 86. 

Symonds,  Capt.  John,  service  as  juror, 
44,  44  n. 

Synopsis  Criticorum,  by  Matthew 
Poole,  8,  9  n. 

Talcott,  Capt.  John,  treasurer  of  Con- 
necticut colony,  50,  50  n. 

Taylor,  Chris.,  attended  Council,  4,  85. 

Taylor,  J.  M.,  The  Witchcraft  Delusion 
in  Colonial  Connecticut,  18  n.,  48  n., 
385,  411. 

Telesmata,  302  n. 

Thacher,  Margaret,  widow  of  Rev. 
Thomas  Thacher,  177  n.,  178. 

Thacher,  Rev.  Peter,  minister_at  Mil- 
ton, 109  n. 

Thacher,  Rev.  Thomas,  first  minister 
of  Old  South  Church,  Boston,  177  n. 

Thomas,  Isaiah,  president  American 
Antiquarian  Society,  256  n. 

Thompson,  minister  at  Braintree,  409, 
409  n. 

Thornton,  Thomas,  testimony  rela- 
tive to  case  of  Margaret  Rule,  337- 
338. 


Thorrowgood,  Lieut.  [Col.]  Adam,  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  438. 
Thunderstorms,    effect    at    Duxbury, 

Mass.,  14-15;  work  of  Satan,  17  n.; 

see  also  Lightning. 
Tiler,  Hannah,  account  of  confession, 

374-375. 
Tiler,   Mary,   account    of   confession, 

374-375. 
Tituba,  a  slave,  151  n.,  153  n.,  351  n.; 

imprisonment,    159  n.,   343,   343  n.; 

confesses  witchcraft,  413,  414,  415; 

suffers  from  witchcraft,  415. 
Tocutt,  Conn.,  confession  of  a  boy  at, 

137-140,  141. 

Toothaker,  Allin,  accuses  Martha  Car- 
rier of  witchcraft,  242,  243. 
Topsfield  Historical  Society,  Historical 

Collections  of,  151  n.,  237  n.,  357  n., 

360  n.,  366  n. 
Towne,  Mrs.,  and  Miss  Clark,  Topsfield 

in  the  Witchcraft  Delusion,  237  n. 
Townsend,  Roger,  appears  in  behalf  of 

Katharine  Harrison,  50. 
Tractatus  de  Morbis,  by  Jan  Baptista 

van  Helmont,  319  n. 
Treatise   of  Justification,    by    Samuel 

Willard,  113. 
Trial  of  Witches,  by  Sir  Matthew  Hale, 

416,  416  n. 
Trithemius,  a   German   scholar,    391, 

391  n. 

True  Account  of  the  Tryals,  207. 
True  and  Exact  Relation,  425  n. 
Truth  and  Innocency  Defended,  377  n. 
Tuttle,  Julius  H.,  The  Libraries  of  the 

Mathers,  256  n. 
Tyler,  Goodwife,  accused  of  witchcraft, 

376  n. 

Upham,  C.  W.,  210  n.;  Salem  Witch- 
craft, 91,  91  n.,  149  n.,  151,  151  n., 
153  n.,  207,  215  n.,  237  n.,  342  n., 
347  n.,  359  n.,  360,  366  n.;  Salem 
Witchcraft  and  Cotton  Mather,  91, 
91  n.,  188  n.,  194  n.,  222  n.,  379  n. 

Upland  Court,  Record  of,  83  n. 

Usher,  Hezekiah,  a  merchant,  178, 
178  n.,  187  n. 

Uzza,  429. 

Vanculin,  John,  affidavit  of,  86. 
Van  Rensselaer,  Mrs.  Schuyler,  41. 


INDEX 


465 


Varlet,  Judith,  imprisoned  for  witch- 
craft, 18  n.,  20  n.;  marries  Nicholas 
Bayard,  19  n.;  intercession  of  Gov- 
ernor Stuyvesant  for,  42. 

Varlet,  Capt.  Nicholas,  18  n. 

Vaughn's  Journal,  in  New  Hamp- 
shire Historical  Society,  Collections, 
76  n. 

Virginia,  Mary  Watkins  sold  to,  384. 

Virginia  Case  of  Grace  Sherwood,  The, 
433-442. 

Virginia  Historical  and  Philosophical 
Society,  Collections,  436. 

Virginia,  Historical  Collections  of,  by 
Henry  Howe,  436. 

Virginia,  Institutional  History  of,  in  the 
Seventeenth  Century,  by  Philip  Alex- 
ander Bruce,  435,  435  n. 

Virginia  State  Papers,  Calendar  of, 
Palmer,  439. 

Vitzlipultzli,  idol  of  Mexican  Indians, 
245. 

Wade,  Robert,  member  of  petty  jury, 
86. 

Wagstaffe,  John,  The  Doctrine  of  Dev- 
ik,  6. 

Walcot,  Jonathan,  commander  of  mili- 
tia, 153,  153  n. 

Walcot,  Mary,  153,  153  n.,  154,  155, 
158. 

Walford,  Jane,  trial  for  witchcraft,  61  n. 

Walford,  Jeremiah,  76  n. ;  widow,  mar- 
ries John  Amazeen,  62  n. 

Walford,  Thomas,  a  blacksmith,  61  n.; 
settles  in  New  Hampshire,  61  n. 

Walker,  History  of  the  First  Church  in 
Hartford,  19  n. 

Wallingford,  Conn.,  385,  385  n. 

Wattingford  and  Meriden,  History  of, 
Davis,  385  n. 

Walton,  Abishag,  35  n. 

Walton,  Alice,  noted  for  piety,  35  n.; 
wife  of  George  Walton,  35  n. 

Walton,  George,  strange  disturbances 
hi  house,  34-36,  62-68,  71,  73;  resi- 
dence on  island  in  Piscataqua,  35  n.; 
prosperous  Quaker,  35  n.,  55,  57,  61 ; 
demon  troubles,  36,  37;  information 
concerning,  by  Mather,  37;  accuses 
Hannah  Jones,  60  n.,  61  n.;  house 
described,  61  n.;  stone  throwing  in 
house,  62-68,  70-74;  boat  on  Pis- 


cataqua, 67,  68;  witnesses  to  stone 
throwing  in  house,  69,  69  n.,  70; 
stone  throwing  in  field,  69,  72,  73, 
74  n.,  75;  arrested  for  wood  cutting, 
76  n. 

Wandall,  Thomas,  service  as  juror, 
44  n.,  45. 

Waples,  Ezable,  member  of  woman 
jury,  439. 

Wardwell,  Samuel,  convicted  of  witch- 
craft, 366,  367;  indictment  extant, 
380  n. 

Wardwell,  Sarah,  executed  for  witch- 
craft, 382,  382  n. 

"Water  test"  for  witches,  condemned, 
by  Increase  Mather,  21  n. 

Waters,  Anthony,  service  as  juror,  44, 
44  n. 

Waters,  Edward,  complaint  against  a 
woman  suspected  for  a  witch,  48,  50. 

Watertown,  Conn.,  Rev.  John  Bailey, 
minister  at,  124  n. 

Watkins,  Margaret,  member  of  wo- 
man's jury,  439. 

Watkins,  Mary,  confesses  witchcraft, 
383,  384;  sold  to  Virginia,  384. 

Webb,  Henry,  a  merchant,  177  n. 

Webster,  John,  6. 

Weekly  Register,  Niles's,  43. 

Wells,  Me.,  Burroughs,  Rev.  George, 
minister  at,  215  n.;  witchcraft  case, 
215  n. 

Wendell,  Barrett,  Cotton  Mather:  the 
Puritan  Priest,  91,  91  n. 

Wenham,  Mass.,  witchcraft  cases,  237- 
240,  369,  369  n. 

West  Chester,  N.  Y.,  case  of  Katha- 
rine Harrison,  48-52. 

Westchester,  County  of,  History  of  the, 
by  Robert  Bolton,  42  n. 

West-Indian  slaves,  342  n. 

Wethersfield,  Conn.,  woman  sentenced 
to  be  whipped  at,  135  n. 

Wethersfield,  History  of  Ancient,  by 
Adams  and  Stiles,  48  n. 

Weyer,  Johann,  writes  on  cruelties  of 
witchcraft,  41;  opposes  witch  perse- 
cution, 424  n.;  De  Prestigiis  Demo- 
num,  424,  424  n. 

Whelford,  249. 

White,  John,  a  planter,  436. 

Whitehead,  Benjamin,  member  of 
grand  jury,  85. 


466 


INDEX 


Whiting,  Rev.  John,  pastor  at  Hart- 
ford, 18  n. 

Whiting,  John,  Quaker,  377  n. 

Wierus,  see  Weyer. 

Wilcox,  Barnaby,  member  of  grand 
jury,  86. 

Wild,  John,  347,  347  n. 

Wild,  Sarah,  accused  of  witchcraft, 
347;  trial  and  execution  of,  357-358. 

Wilkins,  John,  testimony  relative  to 
case  of,  337. 

WiXL  and  Doom,  by  Rev.  Gershom 
Bulkeley,  411  n. 

Willard,  John,  361 ;  executed  for  witch- 
craft, 177,  177  n. 

Willard,  Josiah,  50,  50  n. 

Willard,  Rev.  Samuel,  50  n.,  186  n., 
188  n.,  360,  362,  362  n.;  pastor  at 
Groton,  Conn.,  22,  22  n.;  pastor  of 
Old  South  Church,  Boston,  Mass., 
22  n.,  97,  97  n.,  118;  Treatise  of  Jus- 
tification, 113;  sermon  of,  183  n.; 
condemns  proceedings  against  witch- 
craft, 184. 

William  and  Mary  College  Quarterly,  Ed- 
ward W.  James  in,  435  n.,  436, 439  n. 

Williams,  Abigail,  345,  347,  350  n.; 
strangely  afflicted,  153,  153  n.,  154, 
155, 158,  342  n.,  344;  accuses  witches 
of  impiety,  160. 

Williams,  Dan.,  testimony  relative  to 
case  of,  337. 

Williamsburg,  Va.,  442  n. 

Wilson,  Rev.  John,  first  minister  of 
Boston,  213,  213  n. 

Wilson,  Sarah,  account  of  confession, 
374-375. 

Winsor,  The  Literature  of  Witchcraft, 
xviii. 

Winthrop,  John,  governor  of  Connect- 
icut, 12  n.,  93  n.,  185  n.,  186  n.;  let- 
ter to  the  men  of  Easthampton,  42  n. 

Winthrop,  John,  governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts, 93  n. 

Winthrop,  Wait,  Dedicatory  Epistle 
from  Cotton  Mather,  93,  94,  95; 
member  of  Court  of  Oyer  and  Ter- 
miner,  93  n.,  185  n.,  186  n.,  355;  of 
Superior  Court,  382,  382  n. 

Witchcraft,  in  Europe,  xv-xvi;  de- 
fended by  Joseph  Glanvill,  5;  water 
test,  21  n.;  Bekker  and  Episcopius 
disbelieve  in,  41;  Holland  the  refuge 


from  persecution,  41;  New  Nether- 
land  free  from,  41;  writers  against, 
41;  Long  Island  the  seat  of,  42;  New 
England's  influence  on  other  colonies, 
42;  New  York  not  wholly  free  from, 
42;  Southampton's  code  relating  to, 
42;  Stuyvesant,  Governor,  prescribes 
appeal  to  the  Governor  and  Council, 
42;  Fox,  George,  power  to  detect,  81, 
82;  Penn's  charter  for  colony  contains 
no  reference  to,  82,  83;  Mather,  Cot- 
ton, address  relating  to,  95,  96,  97; 
sermon  by  Rev.  Deodat  Lawson  on, 
158, 158  n.;  persons  affected  by,  141- 
143,  161-164;  Bradstreet,  Simon, 
condemns  proceedings  against,  184; 
Byfield,  N.,  condemns  proceedings 
against,  184;  Danforth,  Thomas, 
condemns  proceedings  against,  184; 
Foxcroft,  Francis,  condemns  pro- 
ceedings against,  184;  Mather,  In- 
crease, condemns  proceedings  against, 
184;  Saltonstall,  Major  N.,  con- 
demns proceedings  against,  184;  Wil- 
lard, Rev.  Samuel,  condemns  pro- 
ceedings against,  184;  fast  for  min- 
isters to  be  led  in  right  way  toward, 
186  n.;  Stoughton,  William,  chief  jus- 
tice in  cases  of,  194;  Phips,  Sir  Wil- 
liam, attitude  toward,  196-202, 
328  n.,  422;  Mohra,  case  at,  196  n.; 
protest  against  conviction  upon  bare 
testimony,  197  n.;  plot  predicted, 
211;  English  trial,  215  n.;  trials  for, 
at  Salem,  215-244;  Poole,  W.  F.,  stu- 
dent of,  257,  258;  Calef's  description 
of  New  England's  condition,  297-299; 
Scotland,  cases  in,  300,  300  n.;  evils 
arising  from  doctrine  of,  303-304;  be- 
comes a  principal  ecclesiastical  en- 
gine, 304;  Swedish,  316;  White  Spirit, 
appearance  of,  316,  317;  diseases  as- 
cribed to,  319  n.;  tortures  recom- 
mended by  Perkins,  363  n.;  results  of 
trials  for,  373-374,  374 n.;  punish- 
ment for,  374,  374  n.;  Epistle regard- 
ing/from  Rev.  John  Higginson,  399, 
402;  France,  nine  hundred  persons 
executed,  424,  424 n.;  black,  425, 
425  n.;  malefick,  425,  425  n.;  see  also 
Salem  Witchcraft. 

Witchcraft,  Annals  of,  by  S.  G.  Drake, 
31  n.,  52  n.,  410  n. 


INDEX 


467 


Witchcraft  and  Quakerism,  by  Amelia 
Mott  Gummere,  81  n. 

Witchcraft  at  Andover,  by  Sarah  Loring 
Bailey,  420  n. 

Witchcraft  at  Boston,  by  W.  F.  Poole, 
91  n. 

Witchcraft  at  Salem,  Mass.,  A  Brief 
and  True  Narrative  of,  by  Deodat 
Lawson,  145-164,  341  n. 

Witchcraft  Cast  out  from  the  Religious 
Seed  and  Israel  of  God,  by  Richard 
Farnworth,  81  n.,  82. 

Witchcraft  Delusion  in  Colonial  Con- 
necticut, by  J.  M.  Taylor,  18  n.,  48  n., 
385,  411 n. 

Witchcraft  Delusion  in  New  England, 
The,  ed.  by  S.  G.  Drake,  151  n., 
208,  343  n. 

Witchcraft,  Delusion,  Topsfield  in  the,  by 
Mrs.  Towne  and  Miss  Clark,  237  n. 

Witchcraft,  Discourse  of  the  Damned  Art 
of,  by  Rev.  William  Perkins,  304  n. 

Witchcraft,  Guide  to  Grand-Jurymen 
.  .  .  in  cases  of,  by  Rev.  Richard 
Bernard,  304  n. 

Witchcraft,  Historical  Essay  Concerning, 
by  Dr.  Hutchinson,  222  n. 

Witchcraft  in  England,  Notestein, 216  n., 
363  n. 

Witchcraft  in  Hartford,  A  Case  of,  by 
C.  J.  Hoadly,  18  n. 

Witchcraft  in  Massachusetts,  Final 
Notes  on,  by  G.  H.  Moore,  197  n., 
202  n.,  367  n.,  373  n. 

Witchcraft  in  Massachusetts,  Notes  on  the 
Bibliography  of,  by  G.  H.  Moore,  91  n., 
148  n.,  197  n.,  207  n.,  215  n.,  385  n. 

Witchcraft,  in  Salem  Village,  by  W.  S. 
Nevins,  153  n. 

Witchcraft  in  the  United  States,  List  of 
Books  relating  to,  in  New  York  Li- 
brary, 207  n. 

Witchcraft,  Records  of  Salem,  by  W.  El- 
liot Woodward,  151,  155  n.,  180  n. 

Witchcraft,  Stories  of  Salem,  153  n. 

Witchcraft  Times,  Groton  in  the,  by  Dr. 
S.  A.  Green,  360  n. 

Witchcrafts,  Observations  on  our  Pres- 
ent Debates  respecting,  187  n. 

Witches,  A  Perfect  Discovery  of,  by 
Thomas  Ady,  222,  222  n. 

Witches,  stories  of,  138;  rules  for  de- 
tection of,  205, 304 n.;  trials  of,  215- 


244;  invisibility  of,  246-247,  248; 
effects  following  execution  of,  248- 
249;  Hobbs,  Deliverance,  attends 
meeting  of,  417,  417  n.,  418;  Foster, 
Ann,  attends  meeting  of,  418;  Lacy, 
Mary,  attends  meeting  of,  418, 418  n., 
419, 419  n. ;  Hopkins,  Matthew,  hunts, 
423,  423  n.;  Alciati,  Andrea,  opposes 
persecution  of,  424 n.;  Weyer,  Jo- 
hann,  opposes  persecution  of,  424  n.; 
persecution  in  Essex  of,  425,  425  n.; 
water  test  for,  441,  441  n. 

Witches,  Trial  of,  by  Sir  Matthew  Hale, 
416,  416  n. 

Witches  and  Witchcrafts,  Select  Cases 
of  Conscience  touching,  by  Gaule, 
John,  216  n.,  219,  219  n.,  221. 

Wittenberg,  case  of  young  man  at, 
10  n. 

Wolcott,  Mary,  affliction  of,  344. 

Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World,  by  Cot- 
ton Mather,  15  n.,  149  n.,  150  n., 
196  n.,  204,  205-208,  209-251,  255, 
293,  295,  297,  297  n.,  304,  330  n., 
357,  370,  377,  377  n.,  378,  378  n., 
414,  416,  422,  423. 

Wood,  George,  witchcraft  practised  on, 
45,  46. 

Wood,  Martha,  accuses  Elizabeth  How 
of  witchcraft,  239. 

Woodbridge,  Rev.  Benjamin,  minister 
at  Bristol,  R.  I.,  65,  65  n.,  75. 

Woodhouse,  Capt.  Horatio,  justice  of 
the  peace,  438. 

Woodward,  W.  Elliot,  Records  of  Salem 
Witchcraft,  31  n.,  151,  151  n.,  155  n., 
222  n.,  229  n.,  241  n.,  357  n.,  360  n., 
363  n.,  366  n.,  367  n.,  371  n.;  His- 
torical Series,  208,  295. 

Worlds  of  Spirits,  The  Certainty  of  the, 
by  Richard  Baxter,  98,  98  n. 

Wright,  Mary,  punished  for  Quaker- 
ism, 43  n.;  tried  for  witchcraft,  43, 
43  n. 

Yattman,  John,  member  of  grand  jury, 
8ft 

York,  Duke  of,  bestowal  of  Dutch  ter- 
ritory on,  42. 

Yorkshire,  name  given  to  Long  Island, 
45  n. 

Zwinger,  Theodor,  4. 


/> 

*> 


OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


. 

.  .  V 

This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 

enewals 
310/825-9188 

Ob  2002 


•JUL  2  4  199P 
REC'D 


QL  JAN  1 6  2001 


m 


^  »/. 


SflCTD  IK.  M 

JUN  1  6  2002 


DEC 


•-' 


L  005  113  837  8 


